The preseason USA Today Coaches Poll released on Monday afternoon with Tennessee football landing as the No. 15 team in the country.
It’s the second highest rated Tennessee has been under Josh Heupel in the preseason coaches poll after landing at No. 10 in the preseason poll last year. The Vols were No. 17 in the final poll of the season after posting a 9-4 (4-4 SEC) record and defeating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl.
Tennessee is one of nine SEC teams that landed in the preseason Coaches Poll. The Vols come in behind No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 11 Missouri and No. 12 LSU and ahead of No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 20 Texas A&M.
While there are nine SEC teams in the preseason Coaches Poll, Tennessee only plays three of them— matchups at No. 1 Georgia and No. 16 Oklahoma as well as a home game against No. 5 Alabama. The Vols have one more ranked matchup on their schedule as they’ll face No. 22 North Carolina State in Charlotte in the second week of the season.
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Interior expectations are high for Tennessee football entering the 2024 season even though the exterior expectations are moderate. The Vols have talented and deep offensive and defensive lines and are breaking in a talented redshirt freshman quarterback in Nico Iamaleava.
How much Tennessee’s passing attack can improve with Iamaleava at the helm as well as how well the defensive backfield improves are some of the biggest questions facing the Vols entering Heupel’s fourth season as head coach.
Tennessee is 27-12 (14-10 SEC) in Heupel’s first three seasons as head coach including an 11-2 season in 2022 that included wins over Florida, LSU, Alabama and Clemson.
The Vols open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 when they host UT-Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
