The Tennessee Vols are actually ranked fairly in ESPN's early 2023 Top 25
ESPN revealed their "way-too-early" 2023 Top 25 rankings late Monday night and they surprisingly have the Tennessee Vols ranked fairly. After going 11-2 in 2022, ESPN has Tennessee at No. 10 to start the 2023 season. From ESPN: The Volunteers enjoyed their best campaign in more than two decades and finally returned to national relevancy. […]
ESPN revealed their "way-too-early" 2023 Top 25 rankings late Monday night and they surprisingly have the Tennessee Vols ranked fairly.
After going 11-2 in 2022, ESPN has Tennessee at No. 10 to start the 2023 season.
The Volunteers enjoyed their best campaign in more than two decades and finally returned to national relevancy. Now, Josh Heupel has to replace many of the key pieces from his high-flying offense, including Hooker and star wideouts Hyatt and Tillman. Michigan transfer Joe Milton played well during a 31-14 victory over Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl, throwing for 251 yards with three touchdowns. Iamaleava, an incoming freshman from Downey, California, was the No. 6 pocket passer in the ESPN 300. Offensive coordinator Alex Golesh was hired as South Florida's coach, and Heupel promoted quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle as his replacement. The Volunteers have to figure out a way to get better on defense, and they'll have to do it without top pass-rusher Young and three other starters. Tennessee will play games against SEC West foes Alabama (road) and Texas A&M (home), and it'll face Georgia at home.
I'm sure some Vols fans would like to see Tennessee in the top five, but I think this is about right for UT since they're losing Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, and Darnell Wright — four elite players (they're also losing other key players like Jeremy Banks, Jerome Carvin, and Trevon Flowers, among others).
After watching Tennessee beat Clemson, I feel pretty confident that the Vols will be able to pick up where they left off in 2022. But they still have to go out there and prove it again.
Starting at No. 10 would take some of the pressure off the Vols to start the season. It would make them earn that top-five ranking again. And if they beat Virginia, Austin Peay, Florida, and UTSA to start 4-0 next season, Tennessee will be ranked in the top five for their much-awaited rematch against South Carolina on September 30 in Neyland Stadium.
The Vols are back in the national conversation when it comes to playoff talk and season expectations. But they still have to prove for several seasons in a row that they're a consistent top-five team before the national media starts assuming they'll be an elite team every year. And I think that's fair — Tennessee has to build a resumé as a program under Josh Heupel and they're in the early stages of doing just that.
Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
