Tennessee Volunteers
SEC
0-0 (0-0 conf)
SP+ #19
Ratings
2025 final
- SP+
- 15.0 (#19)
- SP+ Offense
- 39.3
- SP+ Defense
- 25.4
- SRS
- 11.7
- FPI
- 14.3
- Elo
- 1787
- Talent
- 867
- Recruiting
- 291 (#8)
2026 Outlook
Projected wins
8.0p10 6.0 — p90 10.0
| Round | Prob | |
|---|---|---|
| Win conference | 3.9% | |
| Make CFP | 13.7% | |
| Quarterfinal | 6.1% | |
| Semifinal | 1.9% | |
| Natl. final | 0.4% | |
| Natl. champ | 0.1% |
Schedule
proj record 8.0–4.0
Schedule
19th
toughest of 136
Offenses faced
18th
toughest of 136
Defenses faced
21st
toughest of 136
Strength of schedule — how tough this team's opponents are, ranked 1 (hardest) to 136 (easiest) · by 2025 SP+ · 1 FCS game.
| Wk | Opponent | SP+ | Score | Proj | Win% | Res |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsFurman | FCS | 48-3* | +44.9 | 100% | — |
| 2 | @Georgia Tech | +9.3 | 32-26 | +6.0 | 64% | — |
| 3 | vsKennesaw State | -5.4 | 41-8 | +33.1 | 98% | — |
| 4 | vsTexas | +16.2 | 27-29 | -2.0 | 45% | — |
| 5 | vsAuburn | +11.6 | 30-20 | +9.9 | 73% | — |
| 6 | @Arkansas | +5.1 | 30-24 | +5.3 | 63% | — |
| 7 | vsAlabama | +14.8 | 28-26 | +2.4 | 56% | — |
| 8 | @South Carolina | +5.9 | 30-24 | +6.1 | 64% | — |
| 10 | vsKentucky | +1.8 | 34-16 | +18.6 | 87% | — |
| 11 | @Texas A&M | +20.7 | 24-30 | -6.2 | 35% | — |
| 12 | vsLSU | +10.3 | 29-19 | +9.2 | 71% | — |
| 13 | @Vanderbilt | +20.3 | 26-27 | -1.1 | 47% | — |
* FBS-vs-FCS estimate from the SP+ gap — no per-game model for FCS opponents.
Quarterbacks · 4
2026 · 74
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | 1st | Joey Aguilar | SR | 6'3" | 225 | — |
| QB | 2nd | Ryan Staub← Colorado | SO | 6'1" | 200 | ★★★ |
| QB | 3rd | George MacIntyre | FR | 6'6" | 195 | ★★★★ |
| QB | 4th | Mason Phillips | FR | 6'1" | 180 | — |
Running Backs · 6
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB | 1st | DeSean Bishop | SO | 5'10" | 208 | ★★★ |
| RB | 2nd | Star Thomas | SR | 6'0" | 210 | — |
| RB | 3rd | Javin Gordon← Tulane | FR | 5'10" | 200 | ★★★ |
| RB | 4th | Daune Morris | FR | 5'10" | 195 | ★★★★ |
| RB | 5th | Justin Baker | FR | 5'10" | 210 | ★★★ |
| RB | 6th | Hunter Barnes | JR | 6'0" | 196 | — |
Wide Receivers · 8
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 1st | Mike Matthews | SO | 6'1" | 200 | ★★★★★ |
| WR | 2nd | Braylon Staley | FR | 6'0" | 190 | ★★★★ |
| WR | 3rd | Radarious Jackson | FR | 6'2" | 210 | ★★★★ |
| WR | 4th | Braylon Harmon | FR | 5'9" | 185 | — |
| WR | 5th | Joakim Dodson | FR | 6'0" | 190 | ★★★ |
| WR | 6th | Travis Smith Jr. | FR | 6'3" | 210 | ★★★★ |
| WR | 7th | Nathan Roberts | SO | 6'4" | 214 | — |
| WR | — | Ian Duarte← Idaho State | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Tight Ends · 6
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | 1st | Miles Kitselman | SR | 6'5" | 255 | — |
| TE | 2nd | Ethan Davis | SO | 6'5" | 245 | ★★★★ |
| TE | 3rd | Dasaahn Brame | FR | 6'4" | 230 | — |
| TE | 4th | Trent Thomas← South Alabama | SO | 6'5" | 254 | ★★★ |
| TE | 5th | Cole Harrison | FR | 6'5" | 238 | — |
| TE | — | Drake Martinez← UT Martin | — | — | — | ★★★ |
Offensive Line · 2
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OL | — | David Sanders Jr. | FR | 6'6" | 305 | ★★★★★ |
| OT | — | Ory Williams← LSU | FR | 6'8" | 335 | ★★★ |
Defensive Line · 16
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL | 1st | Daevin Hobbs | JR | 6'4" | 290 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 2nd | Dominic Bailey | SR | 6'3" | 292 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 3rd | Tyree Weathersby | SO | 6'5" | 265 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 4th | Bryson Eason | SR | 6'3" | 315 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 5th | Xavier Gilliam← Penn State | FR | 6'2" | 302 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 6th | Nathan Robinson | SO | 6'6" | 300 | — |
| DL | 7th | Jaxson Moi | SR | 6'2" | 305 | ★★★ |
| DL | 8th | Mariyon Dye | FR | 6'5" | 264 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 9th | Charles House III | FR | 6'3" | 295 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 10th | Ethan Utley | FR | 6'3" | 270 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 11th | Carson Gentle | FR | 6'3" | 256 | — |
| DL | 12th | Christian Gass | FR | 6'3" | 217 | ★★★★ |
| DL | 13th | Mike Bethea II | JR | 6'1" | 215 | — |
| DL | 14th | Isaiah Campbell | FR | 6'4" | 282 | ★★★★ |
| EDGE | 1st | Jordan Norman← Tulane | SO | 6'4" | 249 | ★★★ |
| EDGE | 2nd | Chaz Coleman← Penn State | FR | 6'4" | 240 | ★★★★★ |
Linebackers · 9
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | 1st | Amare Campbell← Penn State | JR | 6'0" | 231 | ★★★ |
| LB | 2nd | Edwin Spillman | FR | 6'1" | 230 | ★★★ |
| LB | 3rd | Arion Carter | JR | 6'1" | 235 | — |
| LB | 4th | Jeremiah Telander | JR | 6'2" | 235 | — |
| LB | 5th | Ben Bolton | JR | 6'3" | 233 | — |
| LB | 6th | Jaedon Harmon | FR | 6'0" | 215 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 7th | Jadon Perlotte | FR | 6'4" | 210 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 8th | Jordan Burns | FR | 6'1" | 224 | ★★★★ |
| LB | 9th | Ryan Scott | FR | 6'0" | 218 | — |
Defensive Backs · 18
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | 1st | Kayin Lee← Auburn | JR | 5'11" | 180 | ★★★ |
| CB | 2nd | Isaiah Hardge← Colorado | SO | 5'10" | 165 | ★★★ |
| CB | 3rd | Jadais Richard← Miami | SR | 6'1" | 195 | ★★★ |
| CB | 4th | Tevis Metcalf← Michigan | SO | 5'10" | 198 | ★★★ |
| DB | 1st | Edrees Farooq | SO | 6'0" | 200 | — |
| DB | 2nd | Andre Turrentine | SR | 5'11" | 195 | ★★★★ |
| DB | 3rd | Jalen McMurray | SR | 6'0" | 187 | ★★★ |
| DB | 4th | Ty Redmond | FR | 6'2" | 192 | — |
| DB | 5th | Tre Poteat | FR | 6'0" | 190 | ★★★★ |
| DB | 6th | William Wright | SR | 6'0" | 198 | ★★★★★ |
| DB | 7th | Sidney Walton | FR | 6'1" | 196 | — |
| DB | 8th | Timothy Merritt | FR | 6'1" | 185 | ★★★ |
| DB | 9th | Montrell Bandy | SR | 6'3" | 194 | — |
| DB | 10th | Dylan Lewis | FR | 6'0" | 187 | ★★★ |
| S | 1st | DJ Burks← App State | JR | 6'0" | 200 | ★★★ |
| S | 2nd | TJ Metcalf← Michigan | JR | 6'1" | 200 | ★★★ |
| S | 3rd | Qua Moss← Kansas State | JR | 5'10" | 185 | ★★★ |
| S | 4th | Dejuan Lane← Penn State | SO | 6'2" | 212 | ★★★ |
Special Teams · 5
| Pos | Depth | Player | Cl | Ht | Wt | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | 1st | Cooper Ranvier← Louisville | FR | 6'2" | 200 | — |
| LS | 1st | Bennett Brady | JR | 6'1" | 210 | — |
| LS | — | Blake Howard← Eastern Kentucky | — | — | — | — |
| P | 1st | Jackson Ross | JR | 6'4" | 205 | ★★ |
| PK | 1st | Josh Turbyville | JR | 6'2" | 200 | — |
Projected Season
2026 · win prob / game
Exp. Wins
8.0
Exp. Losses
4.0
Toss-ups
3
bars: model win probabilityfav / toss-up / dog
2025 · pct vs FBS
SP+ Off
39.396
Off PPA
+0.3295
Pass PPA
+0.4189
Rush PPA
+0.2493
Success
50%98
Explosive
1.2557
PlayerMedian (50th)percentile vs league
SP+ Trend
points vs avg team
— Overall— Offense— Defense
SP+ = opponent-adjusted points vs an average team. Overall & Offense higher = better; Defense lower = better.
Advanced
2025 · opponent-adjusted PPA / play
| Split | Offense | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | +0.32 | +0.15 |
| Passing | +0.41 | +0.20 |
| Rushing | +0.24 | +0.10 |
| 1st Down | +0.15 | -0.03 |
| 2nd Down | +0.30 | +0.23 |
| 3rd Down | +0.75 | +0.43 |
Scoring Trend
2025 · pts/game
PPG For
40.8
PPG Against
28.8
Differential
+12.0
— Points for— Points against
dots: W / L2025
- Overall
- 8-4
- Home
- 4-3
- Away
- 3-1
- Neutral
- 1-0
- Conference
- 4-4
- Non-Conference
- 4-0
- One-Score (≤8)
- 2-2
- Avg Margin
- +12.0
Situational Splits
2025 · record · pts
| Split | Record | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | |||
| Home | 4-3 | 42.3 | 29.0 |
| Away | 3-1 | 37.0 | 29.0 |
| Neutral | 1-1 | 36.5 | 28.0 |
| Competition | |||
| vs Ranked (SP+ 25) | 0-5 | 28.0 | 37.8 |
| Conference | 4-4 | 34.3 | 33.6 |
| Non-conference | 4-1 | 48.6 | 21.2 |
Season History · last 12
3 AP top-10 · 9 postseason
| Season | Record | Conf | SP+ | AP | Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8-4 | 4-4 | #19 | #11 | 0-1 |
| 2024 | 10-2 | 6-2 | #9 | #4 | 0-1 |
| 2023 | 8-4 | 4-4 | #14 | #9 | 1-0 |
| 2022 | 10-2 | 6-2 | #5 | #2 | 1-0 |
| 2021 | 7-5 | 4-4 | #10 | — | 0-1 |
| 2020 | 3-7 | 3-7 | #63 | — | — |
| 2019 | 7-5 | 5-3 | #29 | — | 1-0 |
| 2018 | 5-7 | 2-6 | #48 | — | — |
| 2017 | 4-8 | 0-8 | #67 | — | — |
| 2016 | 8-4 | 4-4 | #15 | — | 1-0 |
| 2015 | 8-4 | 5-3 | #12 | — | 1-0 |
| 2014 | 6-6 | 3-5 | #30 | — | 1-0 |
Recent Form · last 5
2-3 SU · 1-3 ATS · O2/U2
Betting Profile
2025 · 12 w/ line
| Straight up | 8-5 |
| ATS | 5-742% |
| Over / Under | 8-4 O-U |
| — ATS splits — | |
| As favorite | 4-6 |
| As underdog | 1-1 |
| Home | 2-5 |
| Away | 2-2 |
vs closing line · splits show cover–no cover
Recruiting Classes
avg #13 · 127 blue-chip
■ 5★■ 4★■ 3★200 rated signees
| Class | Natl | Pts | 5★ | 4★ | 3★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | #8 | 291 | 2 | 13 | 5 |
| 2025 | #11 | 278 | 1 | 16 | 4 |
| 2024 | #14 | 267 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
| 2023 | #10 | 277 | 1 | 13 | 6 |
| 2022 | #18 | 233 | 0 | 7 | 8 |
| 2021 | #16 | 240 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 2020 | #10 | 262 | 0 | 13 | 4 |
| 2019 | #13 | 269 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
| 2018 | #21 | 231 | 0 | 5 | 12 |
| 2017 | #17 | 237 | 1 | 5 | 13 |
247Sports composite · class rank vs all FBS
Roster Talent
2026
Portal in 21net -8Out 29
Portal avg stars (in / out)3.2 / 3.3
Notable Portal Moves
| ▲ | Chaz Coleman | EDGE | 5★ | ← Penn State |
| ▲ | Xavier Gilliam | DL | 4★ | ← Penn State |
| ▲ | Kayin Lee | CB | 3★ | ← Auburn |
| ▲ | Dejuan Lane | S | 3★ | ← Penn State |
| ▼ | Lance Heard | OT | 4★ | → Kentucky |
| ▼ | Rickey Gibson III | CB | 4★ | → Texas A&M |
| ▼ | Jordan Ross | EDGE | 4★ | → LSU |
| ▼ | Boo Carter | S | 4★ | → Colorado |
returning PPA · portal · talent composite · 2026
Injury Report · 0
No injuries reported.
Team News
20 items
- “Ready for His Arrival”: Josh Heupel Adds Fuel to Lane Kiffin’s Hostile Tennessee HomecomingJosh Heupel kept the old Tennessee-Lane Kiffin rivalry alive at SEC Media Days. Asked about Tennessee fans and Kiffin’s return to Knoxville, Heupel leaned into the memory of what happened the last time Ole Miss came to town.TENN1h
- Tennessee QB battle takes center stage at SEC Media DaysRedshirt freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon are the frontrunners in the competition.
- TENNESSEE VOLS FOOTBALL: Graduation was a priority for DoddThis is another in a series of features on former Tennessee players/coaches in the College Football Hall of FameTENN3h
- Josh Heupel evaluates early progress of defense under new DC Jim KnowlesTennessee defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. The post Josh Heupel evaluates early progress of defense under new DC Jim Knowles appeared first on Saturday Down South.TENN4h
- Tennessee HC Josh Heupel Praises Former OC Alex Golesh's Vision: 'He's Got a Clear Plan'Auburn's Alex Golesh will see a familiar face in Knoxville this season, adding fuel to the fire ahead of his return to Rocky Top.TENN5h
- Josh Heupel explains what Tennessee is looking for from its starting QBJosh Heupel spoke on Tennessee's QB battle on Monday. The post Josh Heupel explains what Tennessee is looking for from its starting QB appeared first on Saturday Down South.TENN5h
- Josh Heupel shares Tennessee's blueprint, strong offseason changesHeupel expresses excitement in the Vols' hiring of DC Jim Knowles, praising his prestige in defensive adjustments, and gives his thoughts on the new nine-game conference schedule.TENN5h
- TENNESSEE VOLS FOOTBALL: Game 7, AlabamaOCT. 17, ALABAMATENN5h
- Josh Heupel details starting quarterback competition at SEC media daysJosh Heupel discusses Tennessee's quarterbacks at SEC football media days.TENN6h
- DeSean Bishop discusses Tennessee's offensive potential in 2026Running back DeSean Bishop discusses Tennessee's offense at SEC media days.
- Josh Heupel reflects on Tennessee's coaching changes, battle for starting QBHeupel describes the Vols' offseason changes and explains the QB1 battle, stating that the two young prospects will "have to prove it in front of their peers."TENN7h
- Josh Heupel delivers a spicy quote when asked about Lane Kiffin's return to Tennessee in 2026Former Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin will return to Knoxville in 2026 when LSU visits for a matchup against the Vols.TENN7h
- Has Josh Heupel changed plans for Tennessee QBs George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon?Josh Heupel doesn’t want to rotate quarterbacks George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon during the 2026 season. But he knows sticking with one isn't easy.
- David Gabriel Georges predicted for Tennessee football commitmentFive-star running back David Gabriel Georges is predicted to commit to Tennessee over Ohio State and Ole Miss.TENN12h
- Tennessee football SEC media days time, TV schedule on MondayTennessee Vols football goes to the podium for SEC media days on Monday. Here's how to watch, follow the Vols on SEC media days.TENN17h
- Tennessee football set to attend SEC Media Days starting on MondayThere are little telltale signs that we are getting closer and closer to the start of the college football season. One of the earliest is when SEC Media Days rolls around a little over a month before the start of the regular season. The others are the start of fall camps across the country and […]TENN1d
- 3 defining questions for Tennessee football entering Year 6 under Josh Heupel3 questions for Tennessee football entering Year 6 under Josh Heupel. The post 3 defining questions for Tennessee football entering Year 6 under Josh Heupel appeared first on Saturday Down South.TENN1d
- Tennessee football's DeSean Bishop's 1st youth camp had pushups, pressing his faithTennessee running back DeSean Bishop hosted his first youth camp at his alma mater, Karns High School, emphasizing faith and hard work.
- I Let ChatGPT Simulate the Tennessee Vols' 2026 Football Season: Faizon Brandon's debut campaign, painful familiarity, yet optimistic endingChatGPT predicted how the Tennessee Volunteers' 2026 season will play out. There's some good, some bad, and some pain that only Tennessee football fans can truly understand.TENN2d
- TENNESSEE VOLS FOOTBALL: Game 5, AuburnThis is a series looking at the upcoming seasonTENN2d