TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

Tennessee went 10-3 in 2024 and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time before falling to Ohio State, then slipped to 8-5 in 2025 with a bowl loss to Illinois that exposed defensive issues. The Vols sent four players to the 2025 NFL Draft including first-round edge rusher James Pearce Jr. and fourth-rounders Dylan Sampson and Dont'e Thornton, cooling collector interest in those cards, while receiver Chris Brazzell II became the breakout name after leading the SEC with 1,017 yards in 2025 and going in the third round of the 2026 draft.

Where they stand: The Vols enter the 2026 season ranked No. 18 in the preseason with major turnover at quarterback, where true freshman five-star Faizon Brandon is expected to start over Joey Aguilar. Tennessee hired defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to fix a struggling defense and faces a challenging nine-game SEC schedule with the season opener against Furman set for September 5, 2026.