Tennessee ranked No. 15 in first AP college football poll

Tennessee is ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press' top-25 preseason college football poll .

Why it matters: The poll shows high expectations for the Volunteers, who have turned things around under head coach Josh Heupel.

By the numbers: UT finished No. 17 in the final AP poll last season.

• AP voters are bullish on the SEC. The Volunteers are the seventh-highest-ranked SEC team. Rival Georgia came in at No. 1 in the debut poll.
• Nine SEC teams are ranked in the top 25.

Zoom in: The AP poll puts Tennessee in the mix for the expanded college football playoffs.

• The new format puts 12 teams in the playoffs compared to just four in previous seasons.

What's next: Tennessee opens the season Aug. 31 at home against Chattanooga.