Tennessee has a top 5 offense. Every other team with one has a top 10 defense.

Aug 21, 2026 · Vols Football

SP+ has the Tennessee offense 4th of 138 going into 2026. Only five teams in the country carry a top 5 offense. Tennessee is one of them.

The other four pair it with a defense ranked 9th or better. Ohio State 1st, Oregon 2nd, Georgia 5th, Notre Dame 9th. Tennessee sits 44th.

Four of five sit at the strong end

Defensive SP+ rank counts up from the best, so it is converted to a national percentile here where a higher number means a stronger defense. Ohio State 1st, Oregon 2nd, Georgia 5th, Notre Dame 9th, Tennessee 44th. Source: CollegeFootballData, pulled 2026-08-21.

SP+ is Bill Connelly’s team rating. Higher is better on offense, and the defensive number is converted here so higher is better on both sides.

We wrote the split up. This is that same gap measured against the company it keeps.

A preseason projection is a prior, not evidence. Nobody has played a game.

The offense projects fourth best in the country. What would have to be true is that the defense climbs toward the group Tennessee is now sitting in.

Sources

CollegeFootballData SP+, pulled 2026-08-21

220

rushing yards for DeSean Bishop on 34 carries, with all 3 Tennessee touchdowns

Oct 4Vols Football

Auburn outgained Tennessee 345 to 323 at Neyland and lost by 10

Auburn outgained Tennessee 345 to 323 at Neyland and lost 24-14. DeSean Bishop ran 34 times for 220 yards and all 3 touchdowns, and the defense took the ball away 3 times.

84.3

PERCENT OF NEYLAND FILLED IN 2021, THE LOW OF 13 SEASONS

Sep 28Vols Football

Neyland's crowd follows the record more closely than 8 other SEC crowds do

Tennessee filled 91.3 percent of Neyland across its 4 losing seasons since 2012. Florida's announced crowds were 99.9 percent of the Swamp's capacity across its 4. The crowd Tennessee sells out today was earned on the field, and the 2019 and 2021 seasons show what happens when it is not.

2.8%

VUMC'S SPENDING ON CHARITY CARE, 7TH OF 9

Oct 5Tennessee

Nashville's 2 big nonprofit hospital systems rank 7th and 9th of Tennessee's 9 biggest on charity care

Vanderbilt University Medical Center put 2.8 percent of its spending into charity care and Ascension Saint Thomas 2.4, against 5.7 at Erlanger, the leader once St. Jude is set apart. VUMC's chief executive's pay grew 3.4 times while its charity care grew 2.5, and Vanderbilt University's best paid person is its chief investment officer.