Tennessee will begin their season of high expectations ranked 6th in the nation. The poll was released today with Kansas and Kentucky topping the charts.
Auburn at 11 and Mississippi State at 18 joined Tennessee and Kentucky in the top 25 from the SEC.
Rick Barnes will no longer have the motivational tool of the Vols being picked to finish 13th in the SEC like last year. Tennessee was picked to finish second in the conference, trailing only Kentucky. That won’t be an issue, according to Barnes.
Tennessee returns virtually everyone this season, losing reserve guards James Daniel and Chris Darrington.