National media outlet gave Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel a backhanded compliment that Vols fans aren't sure how to take
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Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel is entering his sixth season on Rocky Top.
The first five seasons of the Heupel era have been some of the best years that Tennessee fans have seen since Phillip Fulmer was roaming the sidelines on Rocky Top.
But while Heupel's first five seasons were full of some incredible moments — such as beating Alabama in 2022 or reaching the College Football Playoff in 2024 — there's been plenty of not-so-great moments, too (including some brutal season-altering losses, such as at South Carolina in 2022, or at Alabama in 2025).
CBS Sports was quick to remind fans of Heupel's not-so-great moments while attempting to give Tennessee's head coach a compliment.
Josh Heupel named as one of college football's most underrated coaches
CBS Sports named Heupel this week as one of college football's most underrated coaches.
They also, however, pointed out that Heupel has lost six straight games against Top 25 competition.
"Heupel has already led the Vols to the CFP once in his tenure, and future expansion would virtually guarantee a return trip as long as he's the coach at Tennessee," wrote CBS Sports' Brad Crawford. "Many wondered if Heupel's success at UCF would translate to life in the SEC, and he has thwarted those questions with three top-20 finishes in five seasons. Only once has Tennessee won fewer than eight games under his watch. That said, the 2026 campaign is vital to Heupel's long-term stability in Knoxville. Since losing at 12th-ranked Georgia in November 2024 before finding a place in the 12-team playoff, Heupel has lost six straight games against top-25 competition, including all four matchups last season. The what-have-you-done-for-me-lately murmurs are out after Tennessee failed to impress last fall, coming off 30 total wins the previous three years."
There's no doubt that Heupel hit a few bumps in the road last season, but there were some good reasons for that. For starters, he lost his starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, at the end of spring practice a year ago.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the Vols played without cornerback Jermod McCoy in 2025 due to injury (McCoy is viewed by some as the top cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft). Their other starting cornerback, Rickey Gibson, suffered a season-ending injury in Tennessee's first game of the season.
Additionally, the Vols had the youngest roster in the SEC in 2025.
Not every season is going to go to plan. Things out of a coach's control can doom a season (another reason why trying to rank head coaches is silly — every situation is different!).
Heupel, though, clearly has the Volunteers on the right track, and he made the necessary moves this offseason to take the program to the next level (new strength coach and new defensive coordinator).
There's plenty to be excited about when it comes to Tennessee football, despite Heupel's woes against Top 25 competition a season ago.
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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Mar 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Nashville section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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