Unlike Many Pundits, Joe Lunardi Is High On The 2025-26 Vols, Allegedly

Image: ESPN

By Garrett Armbrust

With some of the uncertainties of the Tennessee basketball team this season lots of media outlets and bracketologists aren’t as high on the Vols.

Enter Joe Lunardi.

Lunardi — who last season was ranked 118th out of 179 bracketologists — currently has UT as the 3-seed in the west regional in his, “Men’s Bracketology: 2026 NCAA Tournament”.

Good for Joe.

If his bracket holds true the Vols would be faced with a first round matchup against McNeese State in Greenville, South Carolina.

While Lunardi hasn’t been super high on the Vols in previous seasons it appears that he feels confident in Rick Barnes and his staff’s ability to deliver with a team that will have new transfer pieces as well as five-star incoming freshman Nate Ament.

Most Tennessee fans have relatively high expectations any year with Barnes as the head coach, but with some uncertainties this season you would be silly to not take the 3-seed and run right now.