KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Following a ranked road victory over No. 17 Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium, the Tennessee Volunteers rose to No. 15 in the Associated Press Top 25 and earned its first ranking of the season in the USA TODAY Coaches’ Poll, checking in at No. 16.

Playing its second consecutive top-20 team in a true road game, the Vols rose to the occasion, downing Pitt, 34-27, in an overtime thriller. With the victory, head coach Josh Heupel became the first Tennessee coach since the beginning of the AP Poll era, which started in 1936, to defeat a top-20 opponent in each of his first two seasons at the helm.

The No. 15 AP ranking marks Tennessee’s highest position in the polls since Oct. 4, 2020, when the Vols assumed the No. 14 spot after besting Missouri, 35-12.

Coach Heupel last coached his team to a ranking of 15 or better on Sept. 27, 2020, when the UCF Knights assumed the No. 11 ranking.

With its fresh ranking, the Vols return to Neyland Stadium to face Akron at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. Tickets for the game are available for purchase at AllVols.com.

Vols in the Polls
Preseason: RV AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 6: 24 AP, RV Coaches
Sept. 11: 15 AP, 16 Coaches

Associated Press Top 25
1. Georgia (53)
2. Alabama (9)
3. Ohio State (1)
4. Michigan
5. Clemson
6. Oklahoma
7. USC
8. Oklahoma State
9. Kentucky
10. Arkansas
11. Michigan State
12. BYU
13. Miami
14. Utah
15. Tennessee
16. North Carolina State
17. Baylor
18. Florida
19. Wake Forest
20. Ole Miss
21. Texas
22. Penn State
23. Pittsburgh
24. Texas A&M
25. Oregon

Others receiving votes: Marshall, Cincinnati, Appalachian State, Kansas State, North Carolina, Mississippi State, Florida State, Oregon State, Minnesota, Washington State, Notre Dame, Air Force, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Auburn, Iowa State, Purdue

USA TODAY Coaches Poll
1. Alabama (39)
2. Georgia (25)
3. Ohio State (1)
4. Clemson
5. Michigan
6. Oklahoma
7. Oklahoma State
8. Southern Cal
9. Michigan State
10. Kentucky
11. Arkansas
12. NC State
13. Miami (Fla.)
14. BYU
15. Utah
16. Tennessee
17. Ole Miss
18. Wake Forest
19. Baylor
20. Texas
21. Florida
22. Texas A&M
23. Penn State
24. Oregon
25. Pittsburgh

Others receiving votes: Florida State, Cincinnati, Appalachian State, Air Force, Kansas State, Wisconsin, Marshall, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Washington State, Houston, Texas Tech, Oregon State, Minnesota, TCU, Auburn, North Carolina, Syracuse, Washington, UCLA, Iowa State