After Ohio State won the College Football Playoff Championship Game, ESPN immediately treated the Tennessee Vols with disdain.

Following Ohio State’s College Football Playoff (CFP) Championship victory, ESPN, one of the largest sports media organizations in the world, shifted its attention to Tennessee Volunteers football. While ESPN is known for its extensive coverage of college football, its handling of Tennessee’s program in the aftermath of Ohio State’s championship triumph raised some eyebrows. Instead of offering balanced analysis and recognition for Tennessee’s performance, ESPN’s treatment of the Volunteers seemed tinged with disdain, a sentiment that left many Vols fans frustrated and questioning the network’s bias.

1. Ohio State’s Championship: A Historic Victory with National Attention

Ohio State’s victory in the 2025 College Football Playoff Championship was historic. The Buckeyes’ dominant win cemented their place as one of the top programs in the nation, securing their place in the annals of college football history. ESPN, as one of the primary broadcasters of the CFP, naturally focused its coverage on Ohio State’s achievements, praising their star players, coaching staff, and overall program.

While this is expected—given Ohio State’s success and history—it set the stage for the sharp contrast in treatment when ESPN shifted its focus to other teams. The question arises: why did ESPN’s analysis of Tennessee seem disproportionately critical, even in the context of Ohio State’s monumental win?

2. The Rise of Tennessee Under Josh Heupel

Tennessee football’s resurgence under head coach Josh Heupel has been a story of grit, determination, and revitalization. After several years of mediocrity and coaching turnover, Heupel arrived at Tennessee in 2020, inheriting a program in desperate need of direction. Heupel quickly implemented his fast-paced, high-scoring offense, which revived the Volunteers and propelled them back into national prominence.

By the time the 2024 season concluded, Tennessee had re-established itself as a formidable contender in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Volunteers finished the season with a top-10 ranking in the final AP Poll, and their offense, led by quarterback Joe Milton and a slew of talented skill players, ranked among the nation’s best. Heupel’s ability to turn Tennessee into a championship-caliber team in just a few years was a remarkable achievement that drew praise from analysts across the college football landscape.

Yet, despite these successes, ESPN’s coverage of Tennessee, particularly in the aftermath of Ohio State’s CFP Championship victory, was characterized by noticeable disdain and skepticism. Why did ESPN fail to recognize Tennessee’s progress in the same light as other programs, especially in comparison to Ohio State’s championship success?

3. ESPN’s Treatment of Tennessee Post-Ohio State Victory: A Pattern of Disdain

Several factors contribute to ESPN’s treatment of Tennessee, and in particular, their tendency to dismiss or downplay the Vols’ achievements following Ohio State’s championship. In analyzing this coverage, one can discern a pattern of media bias that reflects both historical factors and broader industry trends.

Historical Context and Tennessee’s Struggles

Tennessee’s football program has a storied history, but its recent struggles have left the national media skeptical about its potential for sustained success. Since the mid-2000s, Tennessee has endured a string of disappointing seasons, characterized by coaching changes, recruiting challenges, and lackluster performances on the field. This period of struggle has left a negative perception of Tennessee, both among national analysts and in broader college football circles.

ESPN, in particular, has often been quick to highlight Tennessee’s failures in recent years. Whether it was the hiring of unproven coaches or the inability to compete with the juggernauts of the SEC, ESPN’s coverage tended to focus on the negative aspects of Tennessee’s program. Even in the midst of Heupel’s success, there was a palpable reluctance to embrace the idea that Tennessee could return to elite status.

This history of failure, combined with the high expectations surrounding Tennessee’s return to prominence, may explain why ESPN was so quick to temper praise for the Volunteers, despite their top-10 ranking and success in 2024. When Ohio State captured the national championship, ESPN’s focus shifted back to the Buckeyes and other established programs, leaving Tennessee to linger in the background as a program that still had to prove itself despite undeniable progress.

Bias Toward Established Programs

One of the recurring themes in ESPN’s treatment of Tennessee is the network’s clear bias toward established football powerhouses. Programs like Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia have enjoyed consistent success over the past two decades, and as a result, their achievements are often covered with more enthusiasm and reverence than those of up-and-coming programs like Tennessee.

Ohio State’s national championship win, as one of the most high-profile programs in college football, was naturally going to dominate the media cycle. However, ESPN’s consistent coverage of Ohio State during the post-championship period was notably excessive. This created a sharp contrast when it came to Tennessee, which was overshadowed despite being a top contender in the SEC and a top-10 team nationally.

This bias toward established programs can be seen in the way ESPN handled coverage of Tennessee’s performance and prospects. Despite a 2024 season that featured impressive victories over ranked teams and a strong finish in the SEC standings, the media coverage failed to fully recognize Tennessee’s potential. Instead, ESPN seemed to focus more on the Vols’ perceived weaknesses and doubts about their ability to maintain success over the long term.

Skepticism About Tennessee’s Longevity

Another major factor contributing to ESPN’s disdain for Tennessee is skepticism about the Vols’ ability to sustain their success over multiple seasons. This has been a recurring narrative in sports media, where teams that are seen as “flash-in-the-pan” successes often fail to receive the same level of respect as long-established powerhouses.

In the wake of Ohio State’s national championship victory, ESPN was quick to pivot to talking about which teams were the true contenders for next season’s CFP championship. Despite Tennessee’s rise under Heupel, ESPN seemed to downplay their chances of being a long-term powerhouse. The narrative surrounding Tennessee’s success was often accompanied by phrases like “they still have to prove themselves” or “it’s a matter of whether they can build on this success.”

While Ohio State’s championship victory was universally acknowledged as a sign of a well-oiled, established program, Tennessee’s top-10 ranking and performance were dismissed as temporary or subject to the “transitory” nature of college football. This type of coverage made it clear that Tennessee’s success was not being viewed through the same lens as Ohio State’s, which resulted in a sense of unfair treatment and a lack of genuine appreciation for what the Volunteers had accomplished.

4. The Larger Impact of ESPN’s Bias

The way ESPN handled Tennessee’s post-Ohio State coverage has significant implications for the program’s national perception. Sports media, particularly networks like ESPN, play a key role in shaping public opinion, fan sentiment, and recruiting. When a team like Tennessee is consistently portrayed in a negative or dismissive light, it can have long-lasting effects on how the program is viewed by prospective players, recruits, and other stakeholders in the college football world.

Tennessee fans, who have long been passionate and loyal to their program, were rightfully frustrated by ESPN’s treatment of their team. The perception that the network was downplaying Tennessee’s success and focusing instead on established powers perpetuated a sense of inferiority that Tennessee football has long struggled to shake off. This type of bias in coverage only serves to reinforce stereotypes about certain programs, making it more difficult for teams like Tennessee to break through and gain the respect they deserve.