Where ESPN ranks the offseason for Tennessee football's 2026 opponents

Tennessee football had the eighth-best offseason in the SEC, according to ESPN, which also ranked the offseason of every Power 4 program. Here’s where Georgia Tech and Tennessee’s SEC opponents for the 2026 season fell in the ranking:

Georgia Tech

No. 8 ACC
ESPN on what went right for the Yellow Jackets: Georgia Tech found exciting talent to build around on offense, starting with (transfer running back Justice) Haynes. The Michigan transfer looked like he was on his way to All-America honors in 2025 with 857 rushing yards and 10 TDs through his first seven games before a season-ending injury. If Haynes can stay healthy, he and Malachi Hosley will be a dynamic duo. (Alberto) Mendoza, a younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, is ready to prove himself after playing 106 snaps as a backup at Indiana.”

Texas

No. 1 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Longhorns: Arch Manning is back, and Texas invested heavily to surround its second-year starter with top talent. (Wide receiver Cam) Coleman, ESPN’s No. 2 portal prospect, joined Emmett Mosley V and Ryan Wingo to form one of the nation’s most intriguing pass-catching trios. Running backs (Hollywood) Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State) promise to give the Longhorns a more consistent run game than they had a year ago, and the additions of offensive guard Laurence Seymore (Western Kentucky) and tackle Melvin Siani (Wake Forest) solidify a seasoned offensive line.”

LSU

No. 2 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Tigers: “(Lane) Kiffin not only landed a successor to (Garrett) Nussmeier by luring (Sam) Leavitt to LSU but also secured a potential heir apparent in USC transfer Husan Longstreet. LSU loaded up at wide receiver with transfers Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Tre’ Brown III (Old Dominion), Winston Watkins (Ole Miss) and Eugene Wilson III (Florida) and addressed a pressing need on the offensive line by landing (Jordan) Seaton from Colorado and guards Aliou Bah (Maryland) and Devin Harper (Ole Miss).”

Texas A&M

No. 5 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Aggies: “Quarterback Marcel Reed has the opportunity to make another jump in his second full season as the Aggies’ starter, and he’ll once again be surrounded by a talented supporting cast. Center Mark Nabou Jr. represents the only returning starter on the offensive line, but Texas A&M loaded up on SEC experience with four transfers who started at least eight games a year ago, led by tackles Wilkin Formby (Alabama) and Tyree Adams (LSU). Edwards, a four-star in-state signee, is an addition to watch in the backfield with returning running backs Rueben Owens II and Jamarion Morrow, and the Aggies secured a much-needed replacement for (KC) Concepcion in Horton.”

Alabama

No. 7 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Crimson Tide: “Alabama’s quarterback competition has spilled into the summer, but only because coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb remain high on both redshirt junior Austin Mack and former five-star recruit Keelon Russell. Whoever wins the starting job will benefit from a defense that held on to a number of core playmakers, headlined by one of the SEC’s top returning edge rushers in Yhonzae Pieree and four starters from the SEC’s top pass defense a year ago in cornerbacks Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr. and safeties Bray Hubbard  and Keon Sabb.”

Kentucky

No. 9 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Wildcats: “(Will) Stein got off to a strong start on the recruiting trail with late commitments in the 2026 class from top 300 prospects (corner Andre) Clarke and (wide receiver Kenny) Darby. (Quarterback Kenny) Minchey’s flip from Nebraska was one of the headline moves in an impressive debut transfer portal class, which included a trio of veteran offensive linemen in (Lance) Heard (Tennessee), Colton Price (Baylor) and Tegra Tshabola (Ohio State), who are expected to anchor a refurbished unit.”

South Carolina

No. 12 SEC 
ESPN on what went right for the Gamecocks: “South Carolina reshuffled the deck on the SEC’s 15th-ranked scoring offense but still managed to hold onto key players for (Kendal) Briles and the new-look offensive staff. (LaNorris) Sellers marks the most important returner. A dynamic third-year starter, Sellers carries All-SEC potential if he can bounce back from an up-and-down 2025 campaign.”

Auburn

No. 13 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Tigers: “(Alex) Golesh brought the best of his previous roster with him to Auburn. Brown, a three-year starter who threw for 3,158 yards and totaled 42 touchdowns in Golesh’s offense last fall, brings dynamism, stability and plenty of familiarity with the five pass catchers who arrived with him from South Florida. Despite the return of 969-yard rusher Jeremiah Cobb, the Tigers bolstered their running back depth with transfers Nykahi Davenport (USF), Tae Meadows (Troy) and (Bryson) Washington (Baylor), all of whom ran for 600-plus yards last fall.”

Vanderbilt

No. 14 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Commodores: “Days after signing (Clark) Lea to an extension last November, Vanderbilt pulled an even bigger coup when it flipped (Jared) Curtis, a five-star, from Georgia. The highest-ranked signee in school history, Curtis has a very real chance of beating out Blaze Berlowitz and starting in Week 1. Whichever quarterback succeeds (Diego) Pavia will benefit from the return of senior running back Sedrick Alexander and fourth-year pass catcher Junior Sherrill, who returns to the Commodores wide receiver corps alongside transfers Ja’Cory Thomas (Old Dominion) and Cole Adams (Alabama).”

Arkansas

No. 16 SEC
ESPN on what went right for the Razorbacks: “Arkansas bolstered its backfield options alongside Braylen Russell with Michigan transfer Jasper Parker and ex-Memphis rusher Sutton Smith, who rushed for 669 yards and seven touchdowns on 102 carries last fall. For a crucial rebuild on the offensive line, the Razorbacks secured experience around returners Kobe Branham and Caden Kitler, adding Memphis’ Malachi Breland (20 career starts), Ohio’s Davion Weatherspoon (27) and (Bryant) Williams from Louisiana (15).”