Following a spring with another round of transfer portal madness, Bill Connelly has updated his S&P+ rankings ahead of the 2024 college football season. Tennessee checked in at No. 15 overall, with Connelly’s formula giving the Volunteers a 23.4 percent chance of going 10-2 or better.
Tennessee will be kicking off a new era under center, with former five-star prospect Nico Iamaleava getting the keys to the car. With Iamaleava running the show, S&P+ ranked the Tennessee offense 14th. The Vols will have plenty of familiarity returning up front, they bring back electric running back Dylan Sampson, and get back Bru McCoy and Squirrel White at receiver.
The defense, which will be anchored by the front but has plenty of questions in the secondary, ranks 19th. Edge rusher James Pearce returns this fall, looking to perhaps become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Veterans Omari Thomas and Keenan Pili are back, but a completely retooled defensive backfield will serve as a wildcard.
The Vols rank 108th overall in returning production, which is a key part of these preseason rankings. That comes mostly from losing their entire secondary to graduation or the transfer portal.
Tennessee checked in ninth in the SEC, which highlights just how deep the conference is after adding Texas and Oklahoma.
2024 Preseason SEC S&P+ Rankings
1. Georgia
4. Texas
5. Alabama
8. Ole Miss
9. LSU
11. Missouri
13. Texas A&M
15. Oklahoma
16. Tennessee
25. Kentucky
31. Auburn
33. Florida
43. South Carolina
46. Arkansas
68. Mississippi State
97. Vanderbilt