Vols Hold Steady At #15 In Polls After SEC Overtime Battle
Courtesy / UT Athletics

Vols Hold Steady At #15 In Polls After SEC Overtime Battle

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football remained No. 15 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and AFCA Coaches poll following an overtime battle against Georgia on Saturday in Neyland Stadium. 

The Volunteers (2-1, 0-1 SEC) are one of eight SEC teams in the top 15 of both polls, including Georgia, who moved up to No. 3 in the Coaches poll and No. 5 in the AP poll. 

It’s the 23rd consecutive week that Tennessee has been ranked in the AP Top 25. The Vols are in the Coaches rankings for the 51st straight week dating back to Sept. 11, 2022. 

Tennessee compiled 496 yards of total offense in a 44-41 overtime thriller versus the Bulldogs. That represented the most by UT against Georgia since recording 519 yards on Oct. 10, 2015. 

Quarterback Joey Aguilar, making his first SEC start, tied Peyton Manning for the most passing yards ever by a Vol against the Bulldogs, completing 24-of-36 for 371 yards and four touchdowns. Manning fired for 371 yards on Oct. 12, 1996. 

Redshirt junior Chris Brazzell II was Aguilar’s top explosive target, hauling in six passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns. For the season, Brazzell has 20 catches for 364 yards and five touchdowns. He is tied for the FBS lead in receiving scores and ranks second in the country in receiving yards. The Biletnikoff Award candidate’s performance representing the most receiving yards by a Vol since Jalin Hyatt’s infamous 207 yards against Alabama on Oct. 15, 2022. 

Junior linebacker Arion Carter is off to a hot start in 2025. After gathering a career-best 14 tackles, Carter is the SEC leader in tackles through three games with 27. Edge rusher Joshua Josephs is tied for the league lead in sacks with three, tallying one apiece in all three of the Vols’ contests this season. 

Tennessee steps out of conference play when it welcomes UAB (2-1) to Neyland Stadium for a 12:45 p.m. kickoff Saturday on SEC Network. The Blazers defeated Akron, 31-28, Saturday night. Neyland Stadium is sold out for the 23rd consecutive game. 

Associated Press Top 25 (Sept. 14) 
1. Ohio State (55) 
2. Penn State (5) 
3. LSU (2) 
4. Miami (3) 
5. Georgia 
6. Oregon (1) 
7. Florida State 
8. Texas 
9. Illinois 
10. Texas A&M 
11. Oklahoma 
12. Iowa State 
13. Ole Miss 
14. Alabama 
15. Tennessee
16. Utah 
17. Texas Tech 
18. Georgia Tech 
19. Indiana 
20. Vanderbilt 
21. Michigan 
22. Auburn 
23. Missouri 
24. Notre Dame 
25. USC 

AFCA Coaches (Sept. 14) 
1. Ohio State (62) 
2. Penn State (3) 
3. Georgia (1) 
4. LSU (1) 
5. Oregon 
6. Miami 
7. Texas 
8. Illinois 
9. Florida State 
10. Texas A&M 
11. Ole Miss 
12. Oklahoma 
13. Iowa State 
14. Alabama 
15. Tennessee 
16. Texas Tech 
17. Indiana 
18. Utah 
19. Georgia Tech 
20. Michigan 
21. Notre Dame 
22. Missouri 
23. Vanderbilt 
24. South Carolina 
25. Auburn 

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