Tennessee Lands At No. 8 In Latest ESPN FPI Rankings

Image: Tennessee Athletics

By Aidan Sidoti

The wait is over, y’all. It’s officially game week and that means it’s almost football time in Tennessee. 

As the Volunteers gear up to kick off the 2025 season in Atlanta against Syracuse, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) has slotted Tennessee at No. 8 in its latest rankings following Week 0 action. 

That’s a sizable increase compared to where UT sits in the AP Poll, at No. 24, and the Coaches Poll, where the Vols are positioned at No. 18.

The computer-generated FPI projects Tennessee to finish 9-3, with a 43.4% chance to make the College Football Playoff and a staggering 7% shot to make the National Championship game in Miami. The FPI system also gives the Volunteers a 99.5% chance to win six games in 2025. 

It’s certainly a confident prediction for Tennessee, who ranks just behind SEC foes Texas, Georgia, and Alabama, despite a multitude of question marks on the offensive side of the ball. 

Appalachian State/UCLA transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar will be charged with leading a new-look offense that includes four new starters on the offensive line and a receiving corps that only has seven scholarship players on the roster. 

Kick off is scheduled for Saturday at noon ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the Volunteers currently a 14 point favorite over Syracuse.