Tennessee football: People are sleeping on the Vols after SEC Media Days

Who knows what to make of the Tennessee football team in year two of the Jeremy Pruitt era. However, there are a lot of people sleeping on the Vols.

SEC Media Days have come and gone. If you’re like me, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. After a long hot summer, it’s almost football time around the country. I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t be more excited about it.

Despite the lackluster product Tennessee has fielded the past twelve seasons, Vol nation is as good as it gets. By now most fans have humbled themselves enough to not overreact to spring practice or any hype national media writers try to spin for clicks.

However, no matter how you feel, football is basically here, and it feels good.

Do you know what feels even better?

When people sleep on your team. I know I’m jumping sports, but the Tennessee basketball team was projected to finish 13th in the SEC standing two seasons ago.

What did they do? Split an SEC Regular Season Title with Auburn.

The conclusion of SEC Media Days brings projections for the upcoming season. Can you guess where the Vols ended up? I’m assuming you said anywhere from third to fifth, and in that case, you would be right.

Here is a break down of the projected standings (first-place votes in parenthesis).

SEC East

1. Georgia (233)

2. Florida (21)

3. Missouri (3)

4. South Carolina (1)

5. Tennessee (1)

6. Kentucky (1)

7. Vanderbilt

SEC West

1. Alabama (253)

2. LSU (5)

3. Texas A&M

4. Auburn (1)

5. Mississippi State (1)

6. Ole Miss

7. Arkansas

We’ve written about how the FPI loves Tennessee next season. Obviously, that’s just one indicator, but the projected win total for the Vols is 7.6. The FPI also has Tennessee favorited in nine games.

You have to think Kentucky and Vanderbilt won’t be as good as they were last season. In year two, Pruitt should have a Tennessee team that is good enough to beat South Carolina. Who knows what you’re going to get out of Missouri with a lingering bowl ban.

Mississippi State isn’t a bad team by any means, but it seems like the Vols caught somewhat of a break with the second SEC West opponent. Finally, the big out of conference matchup is against BYU, not Oklahoma or some other Top-10 ranked team.

I’m not suggesting the Vols will win the SEC East. I’m not even suggesting they will be in contention for Atlanta. However, if you pick the Vols to finish fifth in the SEC East, you’re sleeping on them, and that’s a mistake.