Tennessee Vols are already getting disrespect ahead of the 2024 season
The 2023 season hasn't even officially ended yet and the Tennessee Vols are already receiving some disrespect ahead of the 2024 season. Earlier this week, Athlon Sports revealed their "way too early" top 25 for the 2024 season. And the Vols, which finished the 2023 regular season as the No. 25 team in the AP […]
The 2023 season hasn't even officially ended yet and the Tennessee Vols are already receiving some disrespect ahead of the 2024 season.
Earlier this week, Athlon Sports revealed their "way too early" top 25 for the 2024 season. And the Vols, which finished the 2023 regular season as the No. 25 team in the AP poll and the No. 21 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, weren't included in Athlon Sports' top 25.
Colorado, a team that finished 4-8 in 2023 while losing eight of their last nine games, was ranked No. 25.
That's just…absurd.
Sure, the Vols have plenty to prove after going 8-4 in 2023. But Tennessee has plenty of reason for optimism with five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class, set to take over as the starter in 2024.
The fact that Tennessee is unranked, though, isn't that big of a deal. I think the Vols will be among the best 25 teams in the nation when the season begins next fall, but I also get that folks need to see some proof from UT after an up-and-down season in 2023.
It's the fact that Colorado, a program that's clearly trending in the wrong direction after a quick start last season, is getting the benefit of the doubt over Tennessee. This is nothing more than a Deion Sanders-inspired bias at play.
It's definitely too early to be concerned about 2024 preseason rankings, but it's clear heading into the offseason that Colorado is going to be the apple of the national media's eye all spring/summer long.
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