Expectations have been at new highs this offseason for the Vols, and the unveiling of the official Preseason AP Poll on Sunday morning gave Tennessee another reason to be excited.
The Vols checked in at No. 9 overall, marking the first time they’ve been in the preseason top 10 of the AP poll since 2005. It’s the first time UT has been in the top 10 of the AP poll overall since October, 29, 2006, when the Vols were ranked eighth heading into Week 10 of that year.
The No. 9 ranking in the AP Poll makes Tennessee a consensus top-10 team coming into the preseason with the Vols ranked No. 10 in the Coaches’ Poll, which was released earlier this month.
Here’s the full poll, with UT opponents Alabama (1), Georgia (18) and Florida (25) also cracking the initial top 25 (first-place votes in parenthesis):
1. Alabama, 14-1, 1469 (33)
2. Clemson, 14-1, 1443 (16)
3. Oklahoma, 11-2, 1352 (4)
4. Florida State, 10-3, 1325 (5)
5. LSU, 9-3, 1269 (1)
6. Ohio State, 12-1, 1224 (1)
7. Michigan, 10-3, 1147 (1)
8. Stanford, 12-2, 1029
9. Tennessee, 9-4, 1021
10. Notre Dame, 10-3, 1006
11. Ole Miss, 10-3, 718
12. Michigan State, 12-2, 710
13. TCU, 11-2, 707
14. Washington, 7-6, 651
15. Houston, 13-1, 644
16. UCLA, 8-5, 496
17. Iowa, 12-2, 484
18. Georgia, 10-3, 448
19. Louisville, 8-5, 447
20. USC, 8-6, 344
21. Oklahoma State, 10-3, 316
22. North Carolina, 11-3, 283
23. Baylor, 10-3, 280
24. Oregon, 9-4, 218
25. Florida, 10-4, 180
