University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Football Earns Second Top 10 Poll Finish In Three Years
January 21, 2025 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After winning 10 games and securing the program's first College Football Playoff appearance, Tennessee posted its second Top 10 poll finish in three seasons under head coach Josh Heupel.
The Volunteers concluded the 2024 campaign ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 8 in the Amway Coaches poll released Tuesday. UT was tabbed No. 7 in the final College Football Playoff rankings on Dec. 2.
Tennessee (10-3, 6-2 SEC) was the third-highest ranked SEC program and one of 13 Power Four teams to win 10 regular season games. All three of the Vols' losses came on the road, including against final No. 6 Georgia and national champion Ohio State.
It's the first time since 1999 and 2001 that Tennessee has finished in the Top 10 of the final polls twice over a three-year span. The Vols were No. 6 in the final 2022 rankings. Prior to Heupel's arrival, UT had not finished in the Top 10 since the 11-2 2001 campaign when it was No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches polls.
Tuesday's final rankings also stretched Tennessee's streak of being ranked in the Top 10 of at least one poll to 15 weeks. The Vols entered the Top 10 on Sept. 8 and remained for the duration of the season.
The conclusion of the season Monday night also saw the Vols land in the FBS top 15 in 12 different statistical categories: fourth-down conversion defense (3rd – 31.8), yards per play allowed (5th – 4.56), third-down conversion defense (6th – 30.3), total defense (6th – 293.2), scoring defense (7th – 16.1), tackles for loss (8th – 7.7), rushing offense (9th - 225.8), punt return average (9th – 15.7), red zone defense (11th – 73.0), scoring offense (12th – 35.7), third-down conversions (14th– 47.2) and total offense (15th – 447.0).
Defensive coordinator Tim Banks, a 2024 Broyles Award finalist, led a Tennessee defense that surrendered its fewest point per game average since the 1998 national championship team issued 14.5 ppg. The 209 total points in 2024 were the fewest total allowed by a UT defense since the 1999 squad issued 194.
Banks' unit held 10 of their 13 opponents under 20 points and limited eight of their 10 Power Four opponents under their season scoring average. Opponents managed only 24 offensive touchdowns against the Vols, which was the fourth fewest allowed in the FBS this season.
Since taking over a program that was 3-7 prior to his arrival, Heupel has now guided Tennessee to three straight Top 25 poll finishes and 30 victories over that span, which is the fourth-most in the SEC. The Vols' .769 winning percentage since the start of the 2022 season is the eighth-best in the FBS and third-best in the SEC. Heupel's Vols are one of only four SEC programs to finish in the AP Top 25 in three straight seasons from 2022-24, joining Georgia, Alabama and Texas.
Associated Press Top 25 (Final)
1. Ohio State (56)
2. Notre Dame
3. Oregon
4. Texas
5. Penn State
6. Georgia
7. Arizona State
8. Boise State
9. Tennessee
10. Indiana
11. Ole Miss
12. SMU
13. BYU
14. Clemson
15. Iowa State
16. Illinois
17. Alabama
18. Miami
19. South Carolina
20. Syracuse
21. Army
22. Missouri
23. UNLV
24. Memphis
25. Colorado
AFCA Coaches (Final)
1. Ohio State
2. Notre Dame
3. Texas
4. OregonÂ
5. Penn State
6. GeorgiaÂ
7. Arizona StateÂ
8. Tennessee
9. Boise StateÂ
10. IndianaÂ
11. SMUÂ
   ClemsonÂ
13. Ole MissÂ
14. BYUÂ
15. Iowa StateÂ
16. IllinoisÂ
17. AlabamaÂ
18. MiamiÂ
19. South CarolinaÂ
20. MissouriÂ
21. ArmyÂ
22. SyracuseÂ
23. MemphisÂ
24. UNLVÂ
25. ColoradoÂ
Tennessee Final 2024 Week-by-Week Rankings
Week, AP, Coaches, CFP
Preseason, 15, 15, --
Week 2 (9/3), 14, 12, --
Week 3 (9/8), 7, 9, --
Week 4 (9/15), 6, 7, --
Week 5 (9/22), 5, 6, --
Week 6 (9/29), 4, 4, --
Week 7 (10/6), 8, 9, --
Week 8 (10/13), 11, 10, --
Week 9 (10/20), 7, 8, --
Week 10 (10/27), 7, 7, --
Week 11 (11/3), 7, 6, 7
Week 12 (11/10), 6, 4, 7
Week 13 (11/17), 10, 11, 11
Week 14 (11/24), 7, 8, 8
Week 15 (12/1), 6, 7, 7
Week 16 (12/8), 7, 6, 7
Week 17 (1/21 final), 9, 8, --
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The Volunteers concluded the 2024 campaign ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 8 in the Amway Coaches poll released Tuesday. UT was tabbed No. 7 in the final College Football Playoff rankings on Dec. 2.
Tennessee (10-3, 6-2 SEC) was the third-highest ranked SEC program and one of 13 Power Four teams to win 10 regular season games. All three of the Vols' losses came on the road, including against final No. 6 Georgia and national champion Ohio State.
It's the first time since 1999 and 2001 that Tennessee has finished in the Top 10 of the final polls twice over a three-year span. The Vols were No. 6 in the final 2022 rankings. Prior to Heupel's arrival, UT had not finished in the Top 10 since the 11-2 2001 campaign when it was No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches polls.
Tuesday's final rankings also stretched Tennessee's streak of being ranked in the Top 10 of at least one poll to 15 weeks. The Vols entered the Top 10 on Sept. 8 and remained for the duration of the season.
The conclusion of the season Monday night also saw the Vols land in the FBS top 15 in 12 different statistical categories: fourth-down conversion defense (3rd – 31.8), yards per play allowed (5th – 4.56), third-down conversion defense (6th – 30.3), total defense (6th – 293.2), scoring defense (7th – 16.1), tackles for loss (8th – 7.7), rushing offense (9th - 225.8), punt return average (9th – 15.7), red zone defense (11th – 73.0), scoring offense (12th – 35.7), third-down conversions (14th– 47.2) and total offense (15th – 447.0).
Defensive coordinator Tim Banks, a 2024 Broyles Award finalist, led a Tennessee defense that surrendered its fewest point per game average since the 1998 national championship team issued 14.5 ppg. The 209 total points in 2024 were the fewest total allowed by a UT defense since the 1999 squad issued 194.
Banks' unit held 10 of their 13 opponents under 20 points and limited eight of their 10 Power Four opponents under their season scoring average. Opponents managed only 24 offensive touchdowns against the Vols, which was the fourth fewest allowed in the FBS this season.
Since taking over a program that was 3-7 prior to his arrival, Heupel has now guided Tennessee to three straight Top 25 poll finishes and 30 victories over that span, which is the fourth-most in the SEC. The Vols' .769 winning percentage since the start of the 2022 season is the eighth-best in the FBS and third-best in the SEC. Heupel's Vols are one of only four SEC programs to finish in the AP Top 25 in three straight seasons from 2022-24, joining Georgia, Alabama and Texas.
Associated Press Top 25 (Final)
1. Ohio State (56)
2. Notre Dame
3. Oregon
4. Texas
5. Penn State
6. Georgia
7. Arizona State
8. Boise State
9. Tennessee
10. Indiana
11. Ole Miss
12. SMU
13. BYU
14. Clemson
15. Iowa State
16. Illinois
17. Alabama
18. Miami
19. South Carolina
20. Syracuse
21. Army
22. Missouri
23. UNLV
24. Memphis
25. Colorado
AFCA Coaches (Final)
1. Ohio State
2. Notre Dame
3. Texas
4. OregonÂ
5. Penn State
6. GeorgiaÂ
7. Arizona StateÂ
8. Tennessee
9. Boise StateÂ
10. IndianaÂ
11. SMUÂ
   ClemsonÂ
13. Ole MissÂ
14. BYUÂ
15. Iowa StateÂ
16. IllinoisÂ
17. AlabamaÂ
18. MiamiÂ
19. South CarolinaÂ
20. MissouriÂ
21. ArmyÂ
22. SyracuseÂ
23. MemphisÂ
24. UNLVÂ
25. ColoradoÂ
Tennessee Final 2024 Week-by-Week Rankings
Week, AP, Coaches, CFP
Preseason, 15, 15, --
Week 2 (9/3), 14, 12, --
Week 3 (9/8), 7, 9, --
Week 4 (9/15), 6, 7, --
Week 5 (9/22), 5, 6, --
Week 6 (9/29), 4, 4, --
Week 7 (10/6), 8, 9, --
Week 8 (10/13), 11, 10, --
Week 9 (10/20), 7, 8, --
Week 10 (10/27), 7, 7, --
Week 11 (11/3), 7, 6, 7
Week 12 (11/10), 6, 4, 7
Week 13 (11/17), 10, 11, 11
Week 14 (11/24), 7, 8, 8
Week 15 (12/1), 6, 7, 7
Week 16 (12/8), 7, 6, 7
Week 17 (1/21 final), 9, 8, --
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FB | Josh Heupel Signing Day Press Conference (12.3.25)
Wednesday, December 03
FB | Josh Heupel Postgame Press Conference vs. Vanderbilt (11.29.25)
Saturday, November 29
FB | Aguilar, Bishop, Farooq Postgame vs. Vanderbilt (11.29.25)
Saturday, November 29
FB | Jeremiah Telander Postgame vs. Vanderbilt (11.29.25)
Saturday, November 29
