Where Tennessee Football is ranked in On3's Way-Too-Early Top 25
Tennessee Football on Monday was ranked No. 13 in On3’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 from Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman. Texas came in at No. 1 ahead of No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Penn State and No. 5 Notre Dame.
Georgia was ranked No. 6, Illinois was No. 7, South Carolina was No. 8, Florida was No. 9 and Clemson was No. 10. Also ahead of the Vols were No. 11 Auburn and No. 12 Michigan.
Alabama came in at No. 14, one spot behind Tennessee.
“The Volunteers lose a lot of talent from their defensive line,” Staples wrote, “but they were absurdly deep. Joshua Josephs (nine tackles for loss in 2024) takes over for James Pearce Jr. at the LEO edge rusher position. Tackle Jaxson Moi was supposed to redshirt 2024, but the Vols couldn’t keep him off the field.
“As the Ohio State loss highlighted, QB Nico Iamaleava needs some dynamic targets to emerge. Can sophomore Mike Matthews be that guy?”
Four 2025 opponents ranked in On3’s Way-Too-Early Top 25
Four teams on Tennessee’s 2025 schedule were ranked in the Way-Too-Early Top 25: No. 6 Georgia, No. 9 Florida, No. 14 Alabama and No. 18 Oklahoma.
The Vols host Georgia at Neyland Stadium in September 13, go to Alabama on October 18, host Oklahoma on November 1 and go to Florida on November 22.
Tennessee next season plays the same eight SEC teams the Vols played this season, with the location of the games flipped.
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Mississippi State hosts Tennessee on September 27, in the Vols’ first road SEC game. Tennessee comes back home to face Arkansas on October 11, goes to Kentucky on October 25 and closes the regular-season schedule at home against Vanderbilt on November 29.
The schedule starts with a neutral-site game against Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Tennessee hosts ETSU in its home opener on September 6 at Neyland Stadium, hosts UAB on September 20 and New Mexico State on November 15.
Tennessee has added three players from NCAA Transfer Portal so far
Tennessee’s new-look roster in 2025 will include freshmen David Sanders, Isaiah Campbell, Marion Dye, Travis Smith, DaSaahn Brame and George MacIntyre.
The Vols so far have added three players out of the NCAA Transfer Portal, in Arizona offensive lineman Wendell Moe, Alabama wide receiver Amari Jefferson and Duke running back Star Thomas.
Tennessee’s roster lost 13 players to the NCAA Transfer Portal during the December portal window: Offensive lineman Vysen Lang (Troy); defensive back Christian Harrison (Cincinnati); tight end Holden Staes (Indiana); wide receiver Nathan Leacock (Purdue); linebacker Kalib Perry (Louisville); wide receiver Squirrel White (Florida State); defensive lineman Jayson Jenkins (Florida State); wide receiver Chas Nimrod (South Florida); running back Cameron Seldon (Virginia Tech); running back Khalifa Keith (Appalachian State); linebacker Jalen Smith (Mississippi State); linebacker Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt); wide receiver Kaleb Webb (Maryland).
