Vols Make Top 20 In Pre-Season Poll

AP’s pre-season college basketball poll is out and the Tennessee Vols are on it, but given how they made it to the elite eight last year, where they are on the preseason is a little disappointing for Vol fans. Tennessee is ranked at #18 on the pre-season poll. However, this marks the 6th straight season that the Vols have been ranked in the top 20. The Vols run of 81 straight weeks of being ranked is the longest active streak in the SEC, 38 weeks longer than any other team.

The Vols are one of six SEC schools in the top 25. Purdue tops the top 25 with the rest of the top 10 being Houston, Florida, UConn, St. John’s, Duke, Michigan, BYU, Kentucky and Texas Tech.

Other SEC teams include Arkansas at #14, Alabama is #15, Auburn is #20. Texas, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State were among the teams bubbling under the top 25.

The Tennessee Vols open their season with an exhibition game at home against Duke on October 26. They will open the regular season against Mercer in Knoxville on November 3.

Back in August, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes signed a lifetime contract with UT. That assures that as long as he chooses to be standing courtside, Rick Barnes will be with Tennessee.