Where ESPN ranks Tennessee Vols QB Joey Aguilar after the first 2 months of the 2025 college football season
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Seven months ago, absolutely no one thought Joey Aguilar would be the starting quarterback of the Tennessee Vols.
Aguilar was preparing to play for UCLA in 2025 before quarterback Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee to join the Bruins’ football program.
As a result of that move, Aguilar entered the NCAA transfer portal and ended up replacing Iamaleava on Rocky Top.
Where ESPN ranks Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar after the first two months of the 2025 college football season
Aguilar hasn’t been perfect this season — he’s thrown eight interceptions in nine games (though several of those were on the pass catcher) — but he’s been far better than anyone expected.
The California native has passed for 2,737 yards and 21 touchdowns while leading the Volunteers to a 6-3 record. Aguilar has also rushed for two touchdowns.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly reranked every quarterback in college football now that we’re two months into the season.
Connelly has Aguilar at No. 13, two spots behind Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson.
“Tennessee went to the CFP on the power of great defense (sixth in defensive SP+) last season, so it seemed like Aguilar was walking into a pretty decent situation,” wrote Connelly. “The Vols’ defense has completely collapsed — 56th in defensive SP+, 95th in points allowed per drive — but the team is still 6-3 and ranked because Aguilar has keyed an offensive resurgence. He could end up with 4,000 passing yards.”
Aguilar has chance to go over 3,000 yards for the season this weekend against New Mexico State. If Aguilar passes for 263 yards on Saturday, he’ll become just the second Vols quarterback to go over 3,000 yards since Tyler Bray passed for 3,612 yards in 2012 (Hendon Hooker went over 3,000 passing yards in 2022).
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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 12, 2025, where it first appeared in the Nashville section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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