The college football season is just a few days away and is finally in full swing, with an all-new 12-team playoff, a transfer portal with rosters reshuffled at the highest level in history, new coaching staffs at the big clubs (yes, that's right), and a very real possibility that Tennessee will make its first playoff appearance.
There is a lot of energy and confidence in the program right now, both with the current roster and the incoming freshmen, and Josh Heupel is well established and it’s safe to say that his first recruiting prospect will take over the keys for the team.
It's Niko's turn in Knoxville. Can the former five-star prospect lead Tennessee to a College Football Playoff berth? Let's find out.
Terry Lambert: 10-2
Maybe I'm being optimistic here, but I really like how Tennessee's schedule is coming together. From an SEC standpoint, and frankly just from a regular Tennessee schedule standpoint, this one feels like one of the easier games. The Vols are in a good matchup against Arkansas and Mississippi State. Florida is a mess. Kentucky and Vanderbilt are Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Tennessee definitely can't beat the Gators, but we'll do it for the sake of time. That leaves a neutral-site game against (really good!) NC State, followed by home games against Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia. These four games will be the season-defining, and a 2-2 record will pretty much guarantee them a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.
I think they'll beat NC State, lose one on the road to Oklahoma, beat Alabama again at home, and lose a close game to Georgia, and if they play the rest of the way they'll go 10-2 and clinch a wild card spot.
Tennessee should at least be in the middle of the College Football Playoff bubble discussion, which should be a lot of fun.
Nick Carner: 9-3
I'm projecting a 9-3 finish, but anything from 8-4 to 10-2 would be reasonable. Terry is right that this season should come down to games against NC State, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia. I'd like to believe this team is good enough to go 2-2 in those games, but the depth of the offensive line and defensive backfield makes me hesitate until I can find a reason not to.
The OL is pretty vulnerable to just one more injury depending on the position, but let's hope they stay healthy and if they do, the offense should be closer to '22 than it was last year. I really like the defensive front 7 and offensive skill players. Let's hope the defensive line is disruptive enough to take over games here and there and help the young DBs.
This season is the real story. The recruiting is good and AD looks good, but Heupel and the team need to get their work done to avoid some scathing criticism on the road in key games and have a quality season. I'm not saying that if things go wrong this year, it's all going to fall apart, but it would certainly be exhilarating to see the Vols squarely in CFB playoff contention when the time comes.
Craig Smith: 9-3
I'm torn between nine and 10 wins, but I think the Vols will stumble along the way and stay at nine wins.
I think the potential of this offense is great, and I think Niko Iamareva's first season will be better than most of the great Tennessee quarterbacks that have gone on to play.
I'm concerned about an old pet peeve of Coach Josh Heupel's – the team's level of play in a tough environment. Georgia is a likely loser. I think they'll lose one more game, and that will be at Oklahoma. Solid team, tough environment. I think they'll lose to Alabama, but Tennessee definitely has a chance to win.
But don't fret: A 9-3 record is good enough to help Tennessee slip into the final berth in the College Football Playoff and would be a really nice reward for a program that continues to trend in the right direction.
Matthew Cease: 10-2
The expectations aren't the College Football Playoffs, but there's no reason they can't be made. Perhaps I'm overrating first-year starting quarterbacks, but Niko has shown the poise and arm talent necessary to earn that trust.
Obviously I'm worried about the defense, but it's always been a concern under Coach Heupel. The defense has to prove they can stop the chunk plays that have plagued defenses for the last few years. The defense is completely new, but with the pressure this defensive front will generate, I expect a fair amount of turnovers from them this season.
The schedule is favorable for the Vols if they win their scheduled games. They'll play NC State at a neutral site, but on paper, the only big tests outside of Neyland are Oklahoma and Georgia. They need to win every home game, including Florida and Alabama. 9-3 is safe, but 10-2 is reasonable.
Connor Sexton: 9-3
The Volunteers have taken positive steps under new QB Niko Iamareva.
Tennessee's schedule offers a viable challenge with favorable matchups against Florida, Alabama and Kentucky within Neyland's familiar range.
Tennessee will make strides offensively as long as its wide receiver core remains healthy. The run game is expected to continue to shine along with the defensive line. The secondary remains questionable, but it will be interesting to see how the new recruits and transfers perform.
I project Tennessee to finish 9-3. The road game against Oklahoma is key. If they win that, not only will they start 1-0 in the new version of the SEC, but they'll have a great 10-win season if they play it right. If they lose, 8-9 wins is more realistic. Tennessee has to prove to me they can do it before I can definitively project a 10-win season. Losses to Alabama, Georgia, and some kind of mistake like Oklahoma or Arkansas will put them at 9-3.
