Tennessee’s preseason spot in the AP poll came in at No. 20 on Monday afternoon, and that number carries a strange little piece of recent college football history with it.
The Vols enter 2026 with four ranked teams on their schedule and four more opponents who picked up votes in the AP preseason poll. ESPN’s FPI pegs Tennessee as a 7-8 win team and gives it a 20.4% shot at making the College Football Playoffs.
On paper, that’s a respectable starting point. In the preseason rankings, though, “respectable” has a way of meaning almost nothing once the games begin.
Just look back one year.
With Ohio State coming off a national title, the AP preseason poll dropped, and sitting at No. 20 was Indiana - the same Indiana team that would go 16-0 and finish with the national championship in one of the wildest seasons the sport has ever seen. ESPN Insights pointed out that Indiana’s No. 20 preseason ranking is the only preseason spot outside the Top 6 to produce a champion.
Last year, Indiana was ranked No. 20 in the AP preseason poll.
They proceeded to go 16-0 and win the national championship 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Cv6bm4YbpL
- ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) August 17, 2026
There’s another overlap between that Indiana team and this Tennessee group: Derek Owings. Indiana’s strength and conditioning operation was led by Owings before Tennessee brought him in this offseason, and he’s already being credited with reshaping the Vols in strength, speed, and size. Tennessee has had plenty of turnover on the coaching staff, but Owings stands out as one of the biggest additions.
Hayes Fawcett of Rivals also pointed out that the preseason 20s were a pretty productive neighborhood last season. Indiana at No. 20 won it all, No.
21 Ole Miss climbed to No. 3, and No. 23 Texas Tech finished at No.
- Each of those teams made the College Football Playoffs.
That said, the bigger lesson is the one everybody already knows: the preseason rankings are just a snapshot, not a verdict. Last year’s poll had three teams in the 20s make the CFP, while two teams in the top five ended up unranked by season’s end - Penn State and Clemson.
For Tennessee, the real test is still ahead. The Vols face a punishing nine-game SEC schedule and will have to navigate regular-season matchups with Texas, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, and LSU if they want a shot at the postseason tournament.
Here’s a look at Tennessee Football’s full 2026 schedule:
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Tennessee Faces A Growing Tight End Concern With Ethan Davis Still Out
Tennessees tight end room has become a little thinner in camp with Ethan Davis still sidelined after a minor lower-body injury from the opening fall practice. The injury was suffered on Aug. 6, and while the situation is not viewed as serious, the Vols have now gone through multiple workouts without him as they manage his return carefully.
Davis has missed nine straight practices, which matters because Tennessee does not have much proven depth behind him at the position. The cautious approach makes sense this time of year, but it also leaves the staff waiting for one of its more important pieces to get back on the field and stabilize a spot that could use the help. [Read more 🡒]