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Tennessee football: Five reasonable goals for 2021

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; SEC logo on the field at Neyland Stadium before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; SEC logo on the field at Neyland Stadium before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Finish at least No. 10 in overall SEC

Assuming Tennessee football does its job and beats the Vanderbilt Commodores and South Carolina Gamecocks, the Vols should finish fifth in the SEC East. After all, they would theoretically finish ahead of both of those teams. Falling to sixth in the East would make for a disastrous season and impossible for them to reach their goals.

However, now we’re shooting a bit more ambitious for UT. Josh Heupel should hope his program finishes in the top 10 in the SEC standings. That means either fourth or maybe even third in the East, or somehow finishing above two teams in the SEC West.

This criteria includes having a better overall record and an SEC record as good as or better than four other teams in the league at least. Again, they should have that against at least two of the teams, the two we said they need to beat in USC and Vandy. You have to think two teams from the West will fail to surpass three league wins as well.

Winning a third game in league play would certainly get them breathing room on that front. Do they have a pathway towards that? Well, that actually leads us to our next goal for the Vols this season, and it involves a look at what they’ll do overall.

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