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Tennessee football could go anywhere from 3-7 to 8-2, national outlet says

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 05: A Tennessee Volunteers megaphone sits on the sideline during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 05: A Tennessee Volunteers megaphone sits on the sideline during the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
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This outlet has a wide range of possibilities for the Tennessee football Volunteers.

Playing a shortened season against all SEC teams did not stop Tennessee football from warranting a wide range of predictions. If they match last year’s win total, it’ll be a major step forward. However, there is the possibility they could have their fewest number of wins since before Robert Neyland took over.

That’s at least the range given to them by 247Sports. With five games against top 25 teams and six against teams that would be in the adjusted top 25, seven losses was listed as the worst-case scenario for Rocky Top.

However, there is the possibility, according to the outlet, that Tennessee football somehow manages to only have two losses, which would be the best record for the program since the mid-2000s. Here’s a bit of what was written about their range.

"You want to talk about momentum on a national stage … let the Vols finish 8-2 inside the Top 10 with several major wins during Jeremy Pruitt’s third season and you’ll chatter centered around a changing of the guard in the SEC heading into 2021.…Should the Vols capsize, here’s what will happen — they’ll lose the opener at South Carolina, fall to Kentucky and go 0-5 against Top 25 competition."

Given these statements, it seems like the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs are written off as the two clear losses. That makes sense, as Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Gators are their three top 10 opponents. Florida is in Knoxville, though, so UT’s best chance at an upset is them. Georgia is a road game, so there’s no chance for that one. Alabama speaks for itself.

Anyway, this assumes that no matter what, in addition to Alabama and Georgia being sure losses, there are three sure wins, the Missouri Tigers, Vanderbilt Commodores and Arkansas Razorbacks. Given the fact that Vandy and Arkansas are on the road, that could be a tall order on its own. There’s a chance one of those teams is surprisingly good.

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Obviously, the median between these two records is 5-5 or 6-4, and given the state of the schedule and what Jeremy Pruitt is still needing to build, a winning record alone would be an accomplishment for Tennessee football. But there’s no denying that the year looks a heck of a lot tougher than it did with its original 12-game schedule.

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