The Volunteers were ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25 on Tuesday and No. 17 in the AFCA Coaches poll, giving Tennessee football back-to-back top-20 finishes in the final rankings.
In the final AP and Coaches polls, Tennessee (9-4) topped Iowa (35-0) in the Citrus Bowl to wrap off the season. Iowa had finished No. 24 and No. 22 in the polls.
The Vols were ranked sixth among six SEC teams in the final rankings, along with Georgia at No. 4/3, Alabama at No. 5/5, Missouri at No. 8/8, Ole Miss at No. 9/9, and LSU at No. 12/12. On December 3, the final College Football Playoff rankings were revealed, and Tennessee was ranked No. 21.
The Vols are ranked in the final AP poll for the 46th time in program history. They have also not placed in the top 20 in back-to-back seasons since 2003β2004. They will enter the 2024 season having been ranked in the Coaches poll for 29 straight weeks.
The Vols finished their 11-2 campaign in 2022 with a No. 6 ranking in both of the final polls. Along with John Barnhill (1941β44), Bowden Wyatt (1956β57), and Bill Battle (1970β72), Josh Heupel is the only coach at UT to have guided his teams to consecutive top-20 rankings in the AP poll during his first three complete seasons.
Heupel has now guided his teams to a final ranking four times in his seven years as head coach. His UCF team placed 11th and 12th in 2018 and 24th in both of the final polls for 2019 respectively.
Over the last two seasons, Heupel has led the Vols to 20 victories, which is the most wins for Tennessee since 2003β04. During that time period, that victory total is tied for third place among the current SEC programs.
Final Associated Press Top 25
1. Michigan (61), 15-0
2. Washington, 14-1
3. Texas, 12-2
4. Georgia, 13-1
5. Alabama, 12-2
6. Florida State, 13-1
Oregon, 12-2
8. Missouri, 11-2
9. Ole Miss, 11-2
10. Ohio State, 11-2
11. Arizona, 10-3
12. LSU, 10-3
13. Penn State, 10-3
14. Notre Dame, 10-3
15. Oklahoma, 10-3
16. Oklahoma State, 10-4
17. Tennessee, 9-4
18. Kansas State, 9-4
19. Louisville, 10-4
20. Clemson, 9-4
21. NC State, 9-4
22. SMU, 11-3
23. Kansas, 9-4
24. Iowa, 10-4
25. Liberty, 13-1
Final AFCA Coaches Poll
1. Michigan (63), 15-0
2. Washington, 14-1
3. Georgia, 13-1
4. Texas, 12-2
5. Alabama, 12-2
6. Florida State, 13-1
7. Oregon, 12-2
8. Missouri, 11-2
9. Ole Miss, 11-2
10. Ohio State, 11-2
11. Arizona, 10-3
12. LSU, 10-3
13. Penn State, 10-3
14. Notre Dame, 10-3
15. Oklahoma, 10-3
16. Oklahoma State, 10-3
17. Tennessee, 10-3
18. Louisville, 10-4
19. Kansas State, 9-4
20. Clemson, 9-4
21. NC State, 9-4
22. Iowa, 10-4
23. Kansas, 9-4
24. SMU, 11-3
25. West Virginia, 9-4
All-Time Tennessee Poll Finishes
Year β Associated Press/Coaches/CFP
1936 β 17
1938 β 2
1939 β 2
1940 β 4
1941 β 18
1942 β 7
1944 β 12
1945 β 14
1946 β 7
1949 β 17
1950 β 4/3
1951 β 1/1
1952 β 8/8
1956 β 2/2
1957 β 13/16
1960 β NR/19
1965 β 7/7
1966 β NR/14
1967 β 2/2
1968 β 13/7
1969 β 15/11
1970 β 4/4
1971 β 9/9
1972 β 8/11
1973 β 19/NR
1974 β 20/15
1985 β 4/4
1987 β 14/13
1989 β 5/5
1990 β 8/7
1991 β 14/15
1992 β 12/12
1993 β 12/11
1994 β 22/18
1995 β 3/2
1996 β 9/9
1997 β 7/8
1998 β 1/1
1999 β 9/9
2001 β 4/4
2003 β 15/16
2004 β 13/15
2006 β 25/23
2007 β 12/12
2015 β 22/23
2016 β 22/24
2022 β 6/6/6
2023 β 17/17/21