The preseason Top 25 US LBM coaches poll was revealed on Monday and the Tennessee Vols are ranked No. 15.
That's slightly lower than most folks probably expected the Vols to be ranked, but not absurdly lower. Most national publications have had Tennessee in the No. 10 to No. 13 range this offseason.
247Sports, though, thinks the Volunteers are one of the most underrated teams in the coaches poll.
From 247Sports : Josh Heupel likes his team, but the rest of America doesn't seem sold on Tennessee as a group that's getting to the College Football Playoff this season. The Vols place somewhere in the mid-tier of various preseason SEC power rankings, so there's an underrated factor here considering this is the deepest roster Heupel's had in Knoxville — which includes the 2022 squad that finished the season in the top 10. First-year starter Nico Iamaleava at quarterback is a difference-maker the Vols are building around and there's no worry about a learning curve despite his lack of big-time moments thus far.
There are a number of veteran pass-catchers returning offensively, and Tennessee added a couple impact transfers who will aid in the cause — wideout Chris Brazzell from Tulane, offensive tackle Lance Heard and tight end Holden Staes. Tennessee plays nationally-ranked NC State and Oklahoma early, so if the Vols get through September unbeaten, all of their season-long goals and playoff hopes are there for the taking in the SEC.
I'm sure there will be some fans that will disagree with Tennessee's ranking, but here's the thing -- it doesn't matter one bit (and neither will the AP Top 25 poll when it's released). Preseason rankings are truly absurd if you think about it. Last year doesn't matter at all when it comes to what will happen in 2024. So what are these teams being ranked on? Nothing's happened yet! And any true competitor will tell you that. Which is why coaches are usually being honest when they say that they don't pay attention to the rankings.
Preseason rankings are a silly exercise, but we still get them (in order to drum up early season hype for games) on an annual basis.
The good news for Tennessee fans is that during Josh Heupel's tenure at UT, the Vols have seemingly played better when they aren't ranked high. They tend to play with a chip on their shoulder, so it should be considered a good thing that Tennessee is at No. 15 while SEC programs like Texas (No. 4), Alabama (No. 5), Ole Miss (No. 6), and Missouri (No. 11) get to deal with the "rat poison".
Related: Former Tennessee Vols HC Jeremy Pruitt makes honest admission about returning to coach at the high school level
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