Tennessee

2026 season

SEC

2026 preseason report

Historical preseason snapshot from 2026-07-29, including roster context and illustrative season projections. This is not a live injury feed.

What every system says

Tennessee's rank in each system (1 = best). Middle rank 13.5 across 8 systems; best 11, worst 20, so they disagree by 9 places.

Lab EPA: #19; Through week 82026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
Lab SRS: #14; down 42026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
SP+: #11; up 22026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
Elo: #12; up 12026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
FPI: #12; no change2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
CORE: #20; down 6 · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:002026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
CFBD SRS: #13; down 52026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
WEPA: #19; down 82026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.

Compare every team

FPI context

ESPN FPI via CFBD · 2026

Résumé and schedule

Results earned and schedule difficulty

Strength of record: #15 of 138
Schedule strength: #20 of 138
Remaining schedule strength: #18 of 138
Game control: #16 of 138

Unit efficiency

Performance by unit

Overall: #13 of 138
Offense: #44 of 138
Defense: #5 of 138
Special teams: #78 of 138

Ranks calculated among rated FBS teams; ties share rank. #1 means strongest résumé, hardest schedule, best game control or highest efficiency. These are separate measures, not a combined forecast. Captured Oct 30, 2026, 06:02:01 CDT. FPI supplies no results-through week; capture time records when we received it.

Why the ratings disagree

Tennessee · 2026. Each system answers a different question. The cards show each source's rank (published or computed here) and coverage, so a rank gap can also reflect which teams have data.

Record

6-2 wins–losses

No rank assigned

Results earned. Wins and losses do not account for opponent strength or victory margin.

2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00

SP+ workbook record

Descriptive EPA

0.127 net EPA/play

#19

2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.

Observed per-play efficiency after opponent adjustment. FBS-vs-FBS plays; no preseason strength prior. Sparse schedules can produce sharp early movement.

2026, through CFBD Week 8; opponent adjusted ridge

Lab EPA from CFBD plays

Local predictive SRS

11.95 points

#14 · Down 4 places since the previous CFBD cutoff

2026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.

This season's 8 games, with recent games counting a bit more: average margin +13.09 (with blowouts capped at 35 points and overtime games counted as a 1-point result, then 2.5 points of home field removed) against opponents averaging +1.21, schedule #34 of 138 (#1 = toughest); 1 FCS opponent counts at −25; FBS opponents alone average +4.41. That is worth +14.30 on its own; the preseason prior of +3.71 still carries 22% of the weight, giving +11.95.

How each game enters this SRS rating

Tennessee · 2026, through CFBD Week 8. Margins are team minus opponent. The fit caps margins and treats overtime as a one-point result before adjusting for venue. Recent games carry more weight; the fit share includes the preseason prior in its denominator.

Game	Raw margin → transformed	Venue adjustment	Recency weight	Fit share	Opponent rating	Margin term	Opponent term	Total term
Week 1 · Furman home · 2026-09-05 · ID 401856666	+47.00 → +35.00	-2.50	0.7637	8.47%	-25.00 (fixed lower division)	2.752	-2.117	0.635
Week 2 · Georgia Tech away · 2026-09-12 · ID 401856681	+21.00 → +21.00	+2.50	0.7937	8.80%	-5.43	2.068	-0.478	1.590
Week 3 · Kennesaw State home · 2026-09-19 · ID 401856692	+33.00 → +33.00	-2.50	0.8249	9.15%	-9.30	2.790	-0.850	1.939
Week 4 · Texas home · 2026-09-26 · ID 401856704	-3.00 → -3.00	-2.50	0.8572	9.51%	+13.57	-0.523	1.290	0.767
Week 5 · Auburn home · 2026-10-03 · ID 401856710	+10.00 → +10.00	-2.50	0.8909	9.88%	+5.67	0.741	0.561	1.301
Week 6 · Arkansas away · 2026-10-10 · ID 401856713	+7.00 → +7.00	+2.50	0.9259	10.27%	-2.10	0.975	-0.216	0.760
Week 7 · Alabama home · 2026-10-17 · ID 401856723	+16.00 → +16.00	-2.50	0.9622	10.67%	+18.66	1.440	1.991	3.432
Week 8 · South Carolina away · 2026-10-24 · ID 401856731	-3.00 → -3.00	+2.50	1.0000	11.09%	+6.83	-0.055	0.757	0.702

Game terms +11.13 points; prior term +0.82 points. Their unrounded sum is the fitted rating +11.95 points. The preseason prior is +3.71 with 22.18% of the fit weight. Displayed values are rounded; the producer checks the unrounded identity within 0.00000001 points.

These are additive terms of the current fit, not the effect of removing a game. Opponent ratings already reflect the connected schedule. Lower-division opponents use the fixed anchor, not an individually fitted rating. The rating's model-based 95% band is ±8.8 points; this decomposition does not reduce uncertainty or assign causal effects.

Download fitted terms and source hashes

Estimated strength from schedule-adjusted scoring margins, margin caps, home-field adjustment and recency weighting. Half of prior-season strength, including postseason, carries forward with two games of weight. SRS includes FCS opponents under a fixed strength assumption. 8 current games; prior available.

2026, through CFBD Week 8; generated 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00

Lab SRS from CFBD scores

External SP+

17.9 SP+ points

#11 · Up 2 places

2026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.

Bill Connelly's published predictive strength estimate. Its method and scale differ from local SRS.

2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00

Bill Connelly SP+ workbook

External CORE

14.17 net points per 100 offensive + 100 defensive plays

#20 of 138 by overall (ranked here; CORE publishes no rank)

2026 · 138 rated FBS teams in this CORE board · 2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.

CFBD's context- and opponent-relative efficiency. Offense is higher-better; defense is points allowed above average, so lower is better; overall is offense minus defense. It counts only pass and rush plays from FBS-vs-FBS games, with no special teams, overtime or garbage time; early-week values are pulled toward average but are still uncertain, and it is not a résumé ranking. Its scale is not comparable to EPA, SRS or SP+. Offense 0.46 on 469 plays; defense -13.71 on 405 plays.

2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00

CFBD CORE rating CORE board: offense vs defense

EPA ranks Tennessee 5 places lower than local SRS at the matched cutoff. This identifies a disagreement; it does not isolate its cause. SP+ movement compares provider weeks 8 and 9. Provider weeks may differ from CFBD weeks, so no cross-provider rank gap is calculated. CORE reports its own inclusive cutoff and is shown beside these systems for comparison only; it is an external research rating and is never blended into the lab's opponent-adjusted EPA, local SRS or any pick.

Team ratings and rank gaps are not matchup spreads or win probabilities. Matchup context and a calibrated forecast mapping are required. Do not average EPA, SRS, SP+ and CORE values across their different scales.

Read local SRS assumptions and forecast evidence

Program context

2026 · CFBD records, polls, recruiting, coaches

Record: 6-2 · conf 3-2 · home 4-1 · away 2-1 · expected wins 6.4
Polls (Week 9): AP Top 25 #16 · Coaches Poll #17
CFP latest: not published
CFP final: not published
Against the spread: 2026: 4-4 ATS (+3.3 avg) · 2025: 5-8 ATS (-1.3 avg)
Head coach: Josh Heupel · hired 2021-01-27 · 27-12 over 4 captured seasons
Recruiting classes: 2024 #14 (267 pts) · 2025 #11 (278 pts) · 2026 #8 (291 pts)
Returning: 35% of production · 37% of usage
Passing, receiving and rushing detail
Category Production Usage
Passing 7% 2%
Receiving 52% 60%
Rushing 48% 50%
Shares of prior-season PPA and usage returning in each category. Missing values are unavailable.

Category	Production	Usage
Passing	7%	2%
Receiving	52%	60%
Rushing	48%	50%

Provider values from CFBD captures dated 2026-09-22, 2026-10-30. head coach for the season; tenure counts cover only the captured seasons, hire date is the provider's. Returning usage carries no signal beyond returning production in this repo's research; neither is a model input.

Recruiting by position group

2023–2026 classes · High school · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30 UTC

Position group	Commits	Avg. stars	Avg. rating	Total rating
Defensive Back	18	3.22	0.8848	15.93
Defensive Line	27	3.74	0.9101	24.57
Linebacker	11	3.82	0.9163	10.08
Offensive Line	15	3.60	0.9062	13.59
Quarterback	5	4.20	0.9365	4.68
Receiver	15	3.73	0.9200	13.80
Running Back	6	3.33	0.8857	5.31
Special Teams	8	3.63	0.9053	7.24

Recruiting class aggregates, not current roster strength. Commits count recruits across the window; total rating also reflects class size. JUCO, prep-school and transfer ratings are excluded. These values do not enter the prediction model.

Player efficiency and usage

2026 · observed 2026-10-30 UTC

Passing and rushing WEPA adjust efficiency for opponents. Kicker PAAR measures points added above replacement. Higher is better within each metric. Metric rows are ordered by sample size, followed by usage-only players. Usage is the share of team plays involving the player within each category; categories overlap and should not be added. CFBD definitions

Player / history	Metric	Value	Plays / attempts	Overall usage	Usage detail	Recruiting
DeSean Bishop · RB CFBD athlete 4921108. Tennessee (2023–2026)	Rushing WEPA	0.314	161	30.9%	Pass 4.5% · Rush 49.7% 1st 36.4% · 2nd 26.8% · 3rd 24.8% Standard downs 36.7% · Passing downs 14.4%	2023: 3★ · 0.8533
George MacIntyre · QB CFBD athlete 5141571. Tennessee (2025–2026)	Passing WEPA	0.290	100	26.5%	Pass 60.9% · Rush 2.8% 1st 22.6% · 2nd 28.9% · 3rd 35.3% Standard downs 21.5% · Passing downs 41.9%	2025: 4★ · 0.9355
Faizon Brandon · QB CFBD athlete 5158973. Tennessee (2026–2026)	Passing WEPA	0.113	97	42.5%	Pass 81.8% · Rush 18.5% 1st 37.0% · 2nd 46.9% · 3rd 48.5% Standard downs 36.6% · Passing downs 58.2%	2026: 5★ · 0.9939
Daune Morris · RB CFBD athlete 5141598. Tennessee (2025–2026)	Rushing WEPA	0.232	56	11.5%	Pass 2.7% · Rush 17.8% 1st 13.8% · 2nd 10.6% · 3rd 7.3% Standard downs 13.6% · Passing downs 5.5%	2025: 4★ · 0.8942
Faizon Brandon · QB CFBD athlete 5158973. Tennessee (2026–2026)	Rushing WEPA	0.280	32	42.5%	Pass 81.8% · Rush 18.5% 1st 37.0% · 2nd 46.9% · 3rd 48.5% Standard downs 36.6% · Passing downs 58.2%	2026: 5★ · 0.9939
Cooper Ranvier · PK CFBD athlete 5192420. Louisville (2024–2025); Tennessee (2026–2026)	Kicker PAAR	6.500	12	—	Pass — · Rush — 1st — · 2nd — · 3rd — Standard downs — · Passing downs —	2024: stars unavailable
Braylon Staley · WR CFBD athlete 5132629. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	8.8%	Pass 22.5% · Rush 0.0% 1st 7.7% · 2nd 8.4% · 3rd 12.8% Standard downs 7.6% · Passing downs 12.3%	Not linked
Dasaahn Brame · TE CFBD athlete 5141391. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	5.9%	Pass 13.7% · Rush 0.8% 1st 5.3% · 2nd 6.0% · 3rd 6.8% Standard downs 5.8% · Passing downs 6.1%	Not linked
Deon Hardin · WR CFBD athlete 5293962. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	1.4%	Pass 3.6% · Rush 0.0% 1st 0.0% · 2nd 4.2% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 0.0% · Passing downs 7.7%	Not linked
Ethan Davis · TE CFBD athlete 4870683. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	3.5%	Pass 10.0% · Rush 0.0% 1st 3.0% · 2nd 4.3% · 3rd 4.0% Standard downs 2.8% · Passing downs 5.6%	Not linked
Hunter Barnes · RB CFBD athlete 5081378. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	7.8%	Pass 0.0% · Rush 12.6% 1st 5.6% · 2nd 10.9% · 3rd 9.5% Standard downs 7.3% · Passing downs 9.7%	Not linked
Ian Duarte · WR CFBD athlete 5158751. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	1.4%	Pass 3.6% · Rush 0.0% 1st 2.8% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 1.6% · Passing downs 0.0%	Not linked
Javin Gordon · RB CFBD athlete 5294293. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	10.0%	Pass 3.8% · Rush 14.0% 1st 8.2% · 2nd 11.1% · 3rd 12.5% Standard downs 9.9% · Passing downs 10.3%	Not linked
Justin Baker · RB CFBD athlete 5141361. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	2.8%	Pass 0.0% · Rush 4.4% 1st 3.0% · 2nd 4.3% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 2.7% · Passing downs 3.2%	Not linked
Luca Wolf · TE CFBD athlete 5290182. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	1.4%	Pass 3.4% · Rush 0.0% 1st 0.0% · 2nd 2.2% · 3rd 4.0% Standard downs 0.0% · Passing downs 5.7%	Not linked
Mike Matthews · WR CFBD athlete 5079580. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	10.4%	Pass 24.8% · Rush 1.2% 1st 11.9% · 2nd 11.2% · 3rd 6.4% Standard downs 10.2% · Passing downs 11.0%	Not linked
Nathan Roberts · WR CFBD athlete 5160245. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	2.7%	Pass 7.1% · Rush 0.0% 1st 2.8% · 2nd 4.2% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 3.3% · Passing downs 0.0%	Not linked
Radarious Jackson · WR CFBD athlete 5195481. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	3.2%	Pass 8.1% · Rush 0.0% 1st 1.5% · 2nd 5.0% · 3rd 4.6% Standard downs 1.9% · Passing downs 6.8%	Not linked
Ryan Staub · QB CFBD athlete 4917093. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	4.1%	Pass 10.7% · Rush 0.0% 1st 2.8% · 2nd 8.3% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 3.3% · Passing downs 7.7%	Not linked
TK Keys · WR CFBD athlete 5207604. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	2.8%	Pass 7.4% · Rush 0.0% 1st 4.4% · 2nd 1.1% · 3rd 2.0% Standard downs 3.3% · Passing downs 1.4%	Not linked
Travis Smith Jr. · WR CFBD athlete 5179135. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	2.3%	Pass 5.3% · Rush 0.0% 1st 1.9% · 2nd 4.3% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 1.9% · Passing downs 3.5%	Not linked
Trent Thomas · TE CFBD athlete 5119659. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	2.6%	Pass 6.6% · Rush 0.0% 1st 1.8% · 2nd 3.5% · 3rd 3.2% Standard downs 1.9% · Passing downs 4.9%	Not linked
Tyreek King · WR CFBD athlete 5161829. Team attribution from the captured season usage record.	Not available	—	—	1.4%	Pass 4.0% · Rush 0.0% 1st 1.5% · 2nd 2.2% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 0.9% · Passing downs 2.8%	Not linked

Transfers

Incoming · 21 reported

Player	From	Date	Stars / rating	Eligibility
Amare Campbell · LB	Penn State	2026-01-10	3★ / 0.8700	Immediate
Blake Howard · LS	Eastern Kentucky	2026-01-09	— / —	Immediate
Chaz Coleman · EDGE	Penn State	2026-01-10	5★ / 0.9800	Immediate
Cooper Ranvier · K	Louisville	2026-01-09	— / —	Immediate
DJ Burks · S	App State	2026-01-17	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Dejuan Lane · S	Penn State	2026-01-10	3★ / 0.8700	Immediate
Donovan Haslam · IOL	West Virginia	2026-01-17	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Drake Martinez · TE	UT Martin	2026-01-25	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Ian Duarte · WR	Idaho State	2026-01-25	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Isaiah Hardge · CB	Colorado	2026-01-18	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Jadais Richard · CB	Miami	2026-01-22	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Javin Gordon · RB	Tulane	2026-01-17	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Jordan Norman · EDGE	Tulane	2026-01-13	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Kayin Lee · CB	Auburn	2026-01-07	3★ / 0.8800	Immediate
Ory Williams · OT	LSU	2026-01-06	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Qua Moss · S	Kansas State	2026-01-04	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Ryan Staub · QB	Colorado	2026-01-18	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
TJ Metcalf · S	Michigan	2026-01-13	3★ / 0.8700	Immediate
Tevis Metcalf · CB	Michigan	2026-01-17	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Trent Thomas · TE	South Alabama	2026-01-17	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Xavier Gilliam · DL	Penn State	2026-01-09	4★ / 0.9400	Immediate

Outgoing · 29 reported

Player	To	Date	Stars / rating	Eligibility
Amari Jefferson · WR	Not reported	2026-01-02	4★ / —	Immediate
Arion Carter · LB	Not reported	2026-01-16	4★ / 0.9300	Withdrawn
Bennett Warren · OT	Minnesota	2026-01-04	3★ / 0.8700	Immediate
Boo Carter · S	Colorado	2026-01-10	4★ / 0.9300	Immediate
Braylon Harmon · WR	Not reported	2026-01-02	— / —	Immediate
Brenden Anes · LB	Western Michigan	2026-01-08	3★ / —	Immediate
Brian Grant · OT	Memphis	2026-01-19	3★ / 0.8300	Immediate
Caleb Herring · EDGE	South Carolina	2026-01-16	3★ / 0.8900	Immediate
Colin Brazzell · CB	Abilene Christian	2026-01-10	— / —	Immediate
Emmanuel Okoye · EDGE	California	2026-01-17	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Herb Gray · DL	UNLV	2026-01-14	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Jack Van Dorselaer · TE	Oklahoma	2026-01-14	4★ / 0.9000	Immediate
Jake Merklinger · QB	UConn	2026-01-15	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Jamal Wallace · DL	Utah	2026-01-12	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Jayden Loftin · EDGE	Wisconsin	2026-01-10	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Jordan Ross · EDGE	LSU	2026-01-09	4★ / 0.9300	Immediate
Josh Schell · DL	UCF	2026-01-11	3★ / 0.8300	Immediate
Kaleb Beasley · S	Louisville	2026-01-13	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Kellen Lindstrom · EDGE	Missouri State	2026-01-15	3★ / 0.8400	Immediate
Lance Heard · OT	Kentucky	2026-01-10	4★ / 0.9400	Immediate
Marcus Goree Jr. · CB	Troy	2026-01-17	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Max Anderson · IOL	Kentucky	2026-01-06	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Max Gilbert · K	Arkansas	2026-01-04	— / —	Immediate
Peyton Lewis · RB	Virginia	2026-01-07	3★ / 0.8600	Immediate
Rickey Gibson III · CB	Texas A&M	2026-01-08	4★ / 0.9300	Immediate
Tommy Winton III · WR	East Tennessee State	2026-01-14	3★ / —	Immediate
Trevor Duncan · OT	The Citadel	2026-03-03	3★ / 0.8500	Immediate
Trey Weary · WR	East Tennessee State	2026-01-17	— / —	Immediate
William Satterwhite · IOL	LSU	2026-01-10	3★ / 0.8700	Immediate

Transfer observations can include unresolved destinations. CFBD supplies no timezone for transfer dates and no athlete ID linking these records to the efficiency table. These observations do not establish current roster membership or game availability.

Descriptive context only; no player or transfer value enters the prediction model. Adjusted metrics require unambiguous season/team history. Usage-only rows use the captured athlete ID and team; conflicting usage identities are omitted. Missing values are unavailable, not zero. Provider coverage is incomplete.

Coaching eras

Continuous appointments at Tennessee. Records are CFBD-attributed results; active tenures and the current season may be incomplete.

Josh Heupel · career 73–28 across 9 seasons and 2 schools

Tenure timeline · 29 appointments

2021–present · Josh Heupel · active at capture
45–20 · 65 attributed games · 6 seasons
Hired 2021-01-27. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2018–2020 · Jeremy Pruitt
16–19 · 35 attributed games · 3 seasons
Hired 2017-12-07. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2017–2017 · Brady Hoke
0–2 · 2 attributed games · 1 seasons · incomplete attribution
Hired 2017-11-12. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2013–2017 · Butch Jones
34–27 · 61 attributed games · 5 seasons · incomplete attribution
Hired 2012-12-07. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2012–2012 · Jim Chaney
1–0 · 1 attributed games · 1 seasons · incomplete attribution
Hired 2012-11-18. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2010–2012 · Derek Dooley
15–21 · 36 attributed games · 3 seasons · incomplete attribution
Hired 2010-01-15. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2009–2009 · Lane Kiffin
7–6 · 13 attributed games · 1 seasons
Hired 2008-12-01. Exact effective dates unavailable.
1992–2008 · Phillip Fulmer
151–52–1 · 204 attributed games · 17 seasons · incomplete attribution
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1977–1992 · Johnny Majors
116–62–8 · 186 attributed games · 16 seasons · incomplete attribution
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1970–1976 · Bill Battle
59–22–2 · 83 attributed games · 7 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1964–1969 · Doug Dickey
46–15–4 · 65 attributed games · 6 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1963–1963 · Jim McDonald
5–5 · 10 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1955–1962 · Bowden Wyatt
49–29–4 · 82 attributed games · 8 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1953–1954 · Harvey Robinson
10–10–1 · 21 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1946–1952 · Bob Neyland
54–17–4 · 75 attributed games · 7 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1944–1945 · John Barnhill
15–2–1 · 18 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1941–1942 · John Barnhill
17–3–1 · 21 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1936–1940 · Bob Neyland
43–7–3 · 53 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1935–1935 · W.H. Britton
4–5 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1926–1934 · Bob Neyland
76–7–5 · 88 attributed games · 9 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1921–1925 · Mark Banks
27–15–3 · 45 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1919–1920 · John Bender
10–5–3 · 18 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1916–1916 · John Bender
8–0–1 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1911–1915 · Zora Clevenger
26–15–2 · 43 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1910–1910 · Alex Stone
3–5–1 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1907–1909 · George Levene
15–10–3 · 28 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1905–1906 · J.D. DePree
4–11–3 · 18 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1904–1904 · S.D. Crawford
3–5–1 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1902–1903 · H.E. Fisher
10–7 · 17 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.

Season résumé · 2015–2026

Coach-attributed records appear beside team-season ratings, recruiting and poll context. Shared seasons appear once per coach; rows are not assigned to individual stints. Ratings describe team performance, not a causal coaching effect.

Season / coach	Record	Conference	Postseason	SP+	SRS	Recruiting rank	Final poll
2026 · Josh Heupel · incomplete attribution	0–0	—	—	17.5	16.2	8	—
2025 · Josh Heupel	8–5	4–4	0–1	15	11.7	11	—
2024 · Josh Heupel	10–3	6–2	0–1	22	14.3	14	9
2023 · Josh Heupel	9–4	4–4	1–0	16.2	9.1	10	17
2022 · Josh Heupel	11–2	6–2	1–0	25.2	19.9	18	6
2021 · Josh Heupel	7–6	4–4	0–1	17.5	8	16	—
2020 · Jeremy Pruitt	3–7	3–7	0–0	0.9	-0.3	10	—
2019 · Jeremy Pruitt	8–5	5–3	1–0	10.8	3.5	13	—
2018 · Jeremy Pruitt	5–7	2–6	0–0	5.5	0.9	21	—
2017 · Brady Hoke · incomplete attribution	0–2	—	—	1.2	-7.3	17	—
2017 · Butch Jones · incomplete attribution	4–6	—	—	1.2	-7.3	17	—
2016 · Butch Jones	9–4	4–4	1–0	16.3	10.4	14	22
2015 · Butch Jones	9–4	5–3	1–0	19.5	17.7	4	22

Download coaching history JSON

Source: CFBD · captured 2026-10-26T02:02:59.394463+00:00 UTC. Season résumé covers 2015–2026; timeline spans all returned tenures. — means unavailable. Career summaries cover active coaches at capture. This snapshot is descriptive and is not a pregame cutoff.

CFBD season overview

2026 stored season snapshot, including postseason and garbage time. Raw CFBD PPA is not opponent-adjusted EPA or player WEPA. No week cutoff; these values do not enter our forecasts.

Captured 2026-10-26 04:10:14.047809 UTC · Source data

Stat rankings

CFBD FBS ranks · source updated 2026-10-25 13:29:24 UTC · calculated 2026-10-26 04:10:14 UTC · provider cache expiry 2026-10-26 04:20:14 UTC. Rank 1 is best; percentiles use CFBD’s 0–100 scale.

Statistic	Offense rank / population	Percentile	Defense rank / population	Percentile
PPA / play	59 / 138	57.7	10 / 138	93.4
Success rate	48 / 138	65.7	38 / 138	73.0
Explosiveness	121 / 138	12.4	11 / 138	92.7
Standard-down success	36 / 138	74.5	42 / 138	70.1
Passing-down success	117 / 138	15.3	34 / 138	75.9
Pass PPA	91 / 138	34.3	6 / 138	96.4
Rush PPA	20 / 138	86.1	53 / 138	62.0
Pass explosiveness	129 / 138	6.6	2 / 138	99.3
Rush explosiveness	52 / 138	62.8	105 / 138	24.1
Line yards	30 / 138	78.8	78 / 138	43.8
Second-level yards	53 / 138	62.0	127 / 138	8.0
Open-field yards	50 / 138	64.2	85 / 138	38.7
Stuff rate	25 / 138	82.5	63 / 138	54.7
Power success	T45 / 138	67.5	T40 / 138	69.7
Havoc	T79 / 138	42.7	4 / 138	97.8
Front-seven havoc	T104 / 138	24.5	4 / 138	97.8
DB havoc	T38 / 138	72.3	T21 / 138	84.7
Points / opportunity	39 / 138	72.3	15 / 138	89.8
Average field position	T38 / 138	72.3	T78 / 138	42.7
Field-position expected points	31 / 138	78.1	T73 / 138	46.7

Player PPA and usage

Ordered by overall usage. Open a player for pass, rush, down and situation splits. Usage is the provider’s share of team plays in each situation; PPA is the provider’s average or total for that player. Missing values stay blank (—); play counts are not supplied here. Standard downs are 1st down, 2nd-and-7 or shorter, and 3rd/4th-and-4 or shorter; other situations are passing downs.

Faizon Brandon · QBUsage 42.5% · Avg PPA 0.167 · Total 25.226

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.167	25.226	42.5%
Pass	0.028	3.167	81.8%
Rush	0.566	22.059	18.5%
1st down	0.125	7.620	37.0%
2nd down	0.254	13.440	46.9%
3rd down	0.417	13.346	48.5%
Standard downs	0.119	11.193	36.6%
Passing downs	0.246	14.034	58.2%

DeSean Bishop · RBUsage 30.9% · Avg PPA 0.235 · Total 41.114

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.235	41.114	30.9%
Pass	0.241	2.410	4.5%
Rush	0.235	38.704	49.7%
1st down	0.216	20.548	36.4%
2nd down	-0.022	-1.066	26.8%
3rd down	0.529	14.290	24.8%
Standard downs	0.272	41.871	36.7%
Passing downs	-0.036	-0.757	14.4%

George MacIntyre · QBUsage 26.5% · Avg PPA 0.121 · Total 13.809

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.121	13.809	26.5%
Pass	0.255	27.013	60.9%
Rush	-1.509	-10.565	2.8%
1st down	0.187	8.216	22.6%
2nd down	0.144	5.614	28.9%
3rd down	0.146	4.370	35.3%
Standard downs	0.192	13.465	21.5%
Passing downs	0.008	0.344	41.9%

Daune Morris · RBUsage 11.5% · Avg PPA 0.218 · Total 14.185

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.218	14.185	11.5%
Pass	0.349	2.092	2.7%
Rush	0.205	12.093	17.8%
1st down	0.216	7.772	13.8%
2nd down	-0.070	-1.336	10.6%
3rd down	0.727	5.815	7.3%
Standard downs	0.228	12.996	13.6%
Passing downs	0.149	1.189	5.5%

Mike Matthews · WRUsage 10.4% · Avg PPA 0.493 · Total 29.113

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.493	29.113	10.4%
Pass	0.508	27.962	24.8%
Rush	0.288	1.152	1.2%
1st down	0.432	13.396	11.9%
2nd down	0.884	17.676	11.2%
3rd down	0.293	2.054	6.4%
Standard downs	0.492	21.155	10.2%
Passing downs	0.497	7.959	11.0%

Javin Gordon · RBUsage 10.0% · Avg PPA 0.075 · Total 2.188

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.075	2.188	10.0%
Pass	0.444	1.777	3.8%
Rush	0.016	0.412	14.0%
1st down	-0.046	-0.503	8.2%
2nd down	0.175	1.750	11.1%
3rd down	-0.080	-0.562	12.5%
Standard downs	0.159	3.489	9.9%
Passing downs	-0.186	-1.300	10.3%

Braylon Staley · WRUsage 8.8% · Avg PPA 0.056 · Total 2.813

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.056	2.813	8.8%
Pass	0.056	2.813	22.5%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	0.126	2.512	7.7%
2nd down	0.218	3.266	8.4%
3rd down	0.039	0.543	12.8%
Standard downs	0.029	0.941	7.6%
Passing downs	0.104	1.872	12.3%

Hunter Barnes · RBUsage 7.8% · Avg PPA 0.174 · Total 1.909

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.174	1.909	7.8%
Pass	—	0.000	0.0%
Rush	0.174	1.909	12.6%
1st down	0.436	1.745	5.6%
2nd down	0.280	1.398	10.9%
3rd down	-0.617	-1.233	9.5%
Standard downs	-0.065	-0.521	7.3%
Passing downs	0.810	2.430	9.7%

Dasaahn Brame · TEUsage 5.9% · Avg PPA 0.466 · Total 11.656

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.466	11.656	5.9%
Pass	0.279	6.416	13.7%
Rush	2.620	5.240	0.8%
1st down	0.858	8.579	5.3%
2nd down	-0.515	-4.122	6.0%
3rd down	0.736	4.413	6.8%
Standard downs	0.771	13.879	5.8%
Passing downs	-0.318	-2.223	6.1%

Ryan Staub · QBUsage 4.1% · Avg PPA 0.949 · Total 2.846

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.949	2.846	4.1%
Pass	0.949	2.846	10.7%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	0.105	0.105	2.8%
2nd down	1.371	2.741	8.3%
3rd down	—	0.000	0.0%
Standard downs	0.755	1.510	3.3%
Passing downs	1.336	1.336	7.7%

Ethan Davis · TEUsage 3.5% · Avg PPA 0.804 · Total 4.022

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.804	4.022	3.5%
Pass	0.804	4.022	10.0%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	-0.696	-1.392	3.0%
2nd down	2.854	5.708	4.3%
3rd down	-0.294	-0.294	4.0%
Standard downs	0.448	1.344	2.8%
Passing downs	1.339	2.678	5.6%

Radarious Jackson · WRUsage 3.2% · Avg PPA 0.425 · Total 7.654

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.425	7.654	3.2%
Pass	0.425	7.654	8.1%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	-0.107	-0.427	1.5%
2nd down	0.480	4.322	5.0%
3rd down	0.752	3.760	4.6%
Standard downs	0.329	2.630	1.9%
Passing downs	0.502	5.024	6.8%

Justin Baker · RBUsage 2.8% · Avg PPA 1.622 · Total 6.489

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	1.622	6.489	2.8%
Pass	—	0.000	0.0%
Rush	1.622	6.489	4.4%
1st down	0.175	0.350	3.0%
2nd down	3.069	6.139	4.3%
3rd down	—	0.000	0.0%
Standard downs	2.178	6.533	2.7%
Passing downs	-0.044	-0.044	3.2%

TK Keys · WRUsage 2.8% · Avg PPA 0.559 · Total 4.475

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.559	4.475	2.8%
Pass	0.559	4.475	7.4%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	0.657	3.942	4.4%
2nd down	-0.910	-0.910	1.1%
3rd down	1.442	1.442	2.0%
Standard downs	0.769	5.385	3.3%
Passing downs	-0.910	-0.910	1.4%

Nathan Roberts · WRUsage 2.7% · Avg PPA 0.755 · Total 1.510

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.755	1.510	2.7%
Pass	0.755	1.510	7.1%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	0.105	0.105	2.8%
2nd down	1.406	1.406	4.2%
3rd down	—	0.000	0.0%
Standard downs	0.755	1.510	3.3%
Passing downs	—	0.000	0.0%

Trent Thomas · TEUsage 2.6% · Avg PPA 0.509 · Total 4.577

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.509	4.577	2.6%
Pass	0.509	4.577	6.6%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	0.676	2.028	1.8%
2nd down	0.424	1.695	3.5%
3rd down	0.427	0.854	3.2%
Standard downs	1.094	5.468	1.9%
Passing downs	-0.223	-0.891	4.9%

Travis Smith Jr. · WRUsage 2.3% · Avg PPA -0.020 · Total -0.100

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	-0.020	-0.100	2.3%
Pass	-0.020	-0.100	5.3%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	0.907	1.814	1.9%
2nd down	-0.638	-1.914	4.3%
3rd down	—	0.000	0.0%
Standard downs	0.299	0.896	1.9%
Passing downs	-0.498	-0.996	3.5%

Deon Hardin · WRUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA 1.336 · Total 1.336

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	1.336	1.336	1.4%
Pass	1.336	1.336	3.6%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	—	0.000	0.0%
2nd down	1.336	1.336	4.2%
3rd down	—	0.000	0.0%
Standard downs	—	0.000	0.0%
Passing downs	1.336	1.336	7.7%

Ian Duarte · WRUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA -0.461 · Total -0.461

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	-0.461	-0.461	1.4%
Pass	-0.461	-0.461	3.6%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	-0.461	-0.461	2.8%
2nd down	—	0.000	0.0%
3rd down	—	0.000	0.0%
Standard downs	-0.461	-0.461	1.6%
Passing downs	—	0.000	0.0%

Luca Wolf · TEUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA 0.461 · Total 0.922

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	0.461	0.922	1.4%
Pass	0.461	0.922	3.4%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	—	0.000	0.0%
2nd down	-0.550	-0.550	2.2%
3rd down	1.472	1.472	4.0%
Standard downs	—	0.000	0.0%
Passing downs	0.461	0.922	5.7%

Tyreek King · WRUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA -0.247 · Total -0.493

Split	Average PPA	Total PPA	Usage
Overall	-0.247	-0.493	1.4%
Pass	-0.247	-0.493	4.0%
Rush	—	0.000	0.0%
1st down	0.089	0.089	1.5%
2nd down	-0.582	-0.582	2.2%
3rd down	—	0.000	0.0%
Standard downs	0.089	0.089	0.9%
Passing downs	-0.582	-0.582	2.8%

Where Tennessee sits · 2026 FBS distributions138 teams · raw PPA

2026 · Through provider Week 8. Each metric uses only published FBS teams with a numeric value. Higher percentile is better; tied values receive the midpoint of their positions, rounded to a whole percentile. Missing values are unranked.

Values and percentiles

Tennessee metric values with FBS percentiles, 2026
Metric	Value	Percentile	Better
Offense PPA/play	0.159	58th138 teams	higher
Offense success rate	0.451	66th138 teams	higher
Offense explosiveness	1.129	12th138 teams	higher
Offense pass PPA/play	0.148	34th138 teams	higher
Offense rush PPA/play	0.206	86th138 teams	higher
Defense PPA/play	-0.076	93rd138 teams	lower
Defense success rate	0.376	73rd138 teams	lower
Defense explosiveness	1.093	93rd138 teams	lower
Defense havoc created	0.227	98th138 teams	higher

Passing profile

2026 · CFBD passing family · raw PPA

Captured 2026-10-30. Offense: 100% of 207 attempts charted. Average depth of target 6.9 yards (7th percentile of FBS). Yards after catch 6.8 per completion. Completion 64.3%, 7.0 yards per attempt, pass PPA 0.24.

Completion percentage over expected (CPOE)
Side	Actual	Expected	CPOE (pp)	Qualifying / all attempts
Offense	62.2%	64.9%	-2.6	180 / 207
Defense allowed	63.6%	64.3%	-0.7	214 / 236

Actual and expected use the same qualifying attempts, which can be fewer than all passes. CPOE is their difference in percentage points (pp); higher is better on offense, lower allowed is better on defense. CFBD models FBS-vs-FBS passes, excluding spikes, throwaways, intentional grounding and attempts without air yards. — means unavailable; small samples have fewer than 40 qualifying attempts.

Depth of target vs yards after catch, FBS offenses

138 teams with at least 40 charted attempts. The highlighted point is Tennessee.

Target mix by zone, Tennessee offense

Highlighted bars are deep zones. Shares are of located attempts only.

Defense and rushing detail

Tennessee passing defense and rushing profile, 2026
Side	Attempts	Charted	ADOT	YAC	Comp %	PPA	CPOE	CPOE att
Passing offense	207	100%	6.9	6.8	64.3%	0.24	-2.6 pp	180
Passing defense	236	100%	6.4	4.6	62.3%	0.08	-0.7 pp	214

Rushing production

Side	Attempts	Yards / carry	Success	PPA	Line yards / rush	Second-level yards / rush	Open-field yards / rush	Stuff rate	Power success
Offense	352	4.9	49.2%	0.27	3.40	1.10	1.40	12.0%	75.5%
Defense allowed	264	3.9	39.3%	0.07	2.90	1.20	1.20	17.9%	68.0%

Second-level yards are gained 5–10 yards past the line; open-field yards are beyond 10. These are provider per-rush averages, not totals. Power success measures success with two or fewer yards needed. Exact line-metric and power-success denominators are not supplied in this feed.

Rushing sample and attribution

Side	Yards recorded	Individual	Unattributed	Sacks	Kneels	Team rushes	Multiple carriers	Direction located / eligible
Offense	339 / 352	332	20	20	5	7	0	325 / 325 · 100.0%
Defense allowed	248 / 264	246	18	33	1	2	0	221 / 229 · 96.5%

Counts are attempts. Team totals include sacks, kneels, team-only rushes and unresolved attribution; these categories can overlap and must not be summed. Direction coverage uses ordinary direction-eligible rushes, not all attempts. Missing fields in older captures remain unavailable.

Raw provider values, no opponent adjustment; not model inputs. CFBD metric definitions.

Game-by-game passing and rushing

MetricSide

2026 · Passing CPOE · percentage points. Dashed line: season -2.6 pp. 7 of 8 captured games have this metric. Missing observations break the line.

CPOE is completion percentage over expected on qualifying FBS-vs-FBS attempts; positive means more completions than expected. PPA is raw provider PPA. These are game observations, not opponent-adjusted forecasts. P labels postseason weeks.

Game log and attempt coverage

Week	Opponent	Pass att	CPOE att	Comp %*	Expected %*	CPOE	ADOT	Pass PPA	Rush att	Rush yds/carry	Rush PPA
W1	Furman	27	0	—	—	—	7.1	0.76	47	7.0	0.44
W2	Georgia Tech	21	21	47.6%	60.7%	-13.1 pp	10.4	0.37	45	6.8	0.36
W3	Kennesaw State	26	26	69.2%	60.5%	+8.7 pp	9.3	0.29	41	6.8	0.46
W4	Texas	32	32	56.3%	63.5%	-7.3 pp	8.8	-0.09	44	2.0	0.14
W5	Auburn	18	18	61.1%	65.8%	-4.7 pp	6.1	-0.23	49	5.0	0.24
W6	Arkansas	29	29	62.1%	66.4%	-4.3 pp	6.1	0.21	35	4.8	0.32
W7	Alabama	31	31	67.7%	67.8%	-0.0 pp	3.9	0.30	41	3.5	0.03
W8	South Carolina	23	23	69.6%	69.0%	+0.5 pp	4.1	0.23	50	3.5	0.11

*Completion and expected rates use the same CPOE-eligible attempts. ADOT uses available air-yard attempts; a game needs at least one. No missing family is filled with the other family’s data.

Punting and returns

2026 season to date · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30T11:16:37.416814+00:00. Descriptive totals, including postseason when present.

Our punts

33 punts · 44.6 gross yards/punt · 40.6 net yards/punt

12 inside the 20 · 2 touchbacks · 1 blocked

Known gross yards: 32/33 punts. Known net yards: 28/33 punts.

Our punt returns

10 returns · 11.5 yards/return · 1 touchdowns

1 muffs · 1 opponent punts blocked

Known return yards: 10/10 returns. Return totals include team-only and unattributed plays.

Recent games

Game	Punts	Gross yd/punt	Net yd/punt	Known net yards
Week 8 · South Carolina	4	43.3	42.0	4/4
Week 7 · Alabama	4	39.8	34.0	3/4
Week 6 · Arkansas	4	47.5	42.5	4/4
Week 5 · Auburn	6	44.2	45.0	5/6
Week 4 · Texas	7	46.3	36.8	6/7

Team style

Rating history