Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during Vols' football's first day of fall camp in Knoxville on July 30, 2025. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee Named A Blue Blood Program By On3 National Analyst Andy Staples

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Najeh Wilkins | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Tennessee is among the elite teams in college football per Andy Staples of On3. His blue blood programs include Alabama, Michigan, Florida State, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Georgia, Miami, Texas, LSU, Notre Dame, USC, and Tennessee.

NEW: College Football Blueblood Programs via @Andy_Staples https://t.co/HRh4oSW6C3 pic.twitter.com/pOGJDo9fEq
— On3 (@On3sports) August 11, 2025

The criteria by On3 is as follows per their website.

Top 15 in program win percentage (Minimum 750 games)
At least one national title in two of three eras (AP or Coaches poll in the two poll eras, winner of the final game in the Bowl Championship Series/College Football Playoff era)

Tennessee has a .670 winning percentage, going 875-417-53 since the AP poll started in 1936. Their first-ever early poll national championship was in 1951. The Volunteers last one a national championship in 1998, a team lead by Al Wilson and quarterback Tee Martin. Tennessee defeated Florida State in the championship game 23-16 completing a perfect 13-0 season.

“It was a team built around a menacing defense. John Chavis' unit held 10 of its 13 opponents under 20 points that season, including seven of the nine SEC foes the Vols faced. And if you throw out garbage touchdowns late in games, Tennessee's first-team defense allowed just eight touchdowns in nine SEC contests. Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Vanderbilt failed to score any touchdowns against Tennessee's first-team defense. Moreover, in the last four games of the season, the first-team defense allowed a total of three touchdowns.”

After the 1998 season, Tennessee had six consecutive winning seasons until 2025. During that span, they had three seasons where they won 10 or more games.

In 2024, Tennessee made the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history and finished with a regular season record of 10-2. They’ve continued to be a contender in the Josh Huepel era. The Volunteers have had a winning season every year he has been at the helm, and the Vols have surpassed 10 wins on two of his four seasons, including an 11-2 record in 2022.

While Tennessee has been overlooked a lot of this offseason because of some of the changes to the roster, the Volunteers have developed an elite program, and one that can help you make it to the next level while being at the top of college football, which is why they are in a blue blood program.