Summer rankings are always a hot topic among college football fans, and this year’s CBS Sports 2025 head coach list is already causing a stir. The outlet’s annual ranking of Power Four head coaches—from 1 to 68—spotlights the risers, the fallers, and the coaches with something to prove. Tennessee’s Josh Heupel is firmly in the “riser” camp.
Coming off a landmark season where he led the Volunteers to their first College Football Playoff appearance, Heupel jumped from No. 23 to No. 16 on CBS’s rankings—a significant seven-spot leap. In a league dominated by names like Kirby Smart and Steve Sarkisian, this movement speaks volumes about how far the Vols have come under his leadership.
Heupel’s rise is no fluke. Since taking over a program left in shambles after the Jeremy Pruitt era, the former Oklahoma quarterback has injected new life into Tennessee football. Under Heupel, the Vols have gone 37-15 overall and 20-12 in the SEC, reestablishing themselves as a national force. His signature uptempo, spread-style offense has given defenses nightmares and rekindled excitement in Knoxville.
While fans are understandably anxious after the departure of highly-touted QB Nico Iamaleava, Heupel has earned trust when it comes to offensive playmakers. He turned Hendon Hooker into a Heisman contender and helped Joe Milton develop into a capable leader. With Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger, and top recruit George MacIntyre in the mix, the Vols aren’t lacking in options under center.
Tennessee’s challenge now is breaking into the true college football elite. Last season’s tough losses to Georgia and Ohio State showed the Vols are close—but not quite there yet. Still, with Heupel at the helm and continued support from athletic director Danny White, Tennessee’s ceiling keeps rising. White, credited with pulling the program out of the Pruitt scandal quicksand, has been the perfect complement to Heupel’s on-field brilliance.
In the SEC pecking order, Heupel landed at No. 6 among conference coaches. He trails juggernauts like Kirby Smart (No. 1), Steve Sarkisian (No. 4), Brian Kelly (No. 8), Kalen DeBoer (No. 9), and Lane Kiffin (No. 12). Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz was the only other SEC coach to crack the top 25.
Heupel’s quick ascent from program fixer to Playoff contender signals a new era in Knoxville. And if the Vols can reload at quarterback and tighten up defensively, 2025 could be the year Tennessee truly shakes up the college football hierarchy.
As CBS’s list stirs debate, one thing’s for sure: Josh Heupel and the Vols are no longer the hunters—they’re quickly becoming the hunted.
SHARE this with every Vols fan you know—Tennessee is BACK.
