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Tennessee football: Five reasonable goals for 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

Smokey runs the end zone after a touchdown during the Tennessee Volunteers' game against Alabama in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, October 20, 2018.Kns Utvsbamafootball Bp Jpg
Smokey runs the end zone after a touchdown during the Tennessee Volunteers' game against Alabama in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, October 20, 2018.Kns Utvsbamafootball Bp Jpg /
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Sep 18, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel talks with quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) during the first half against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel talks with quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) during the first half against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Go at least .500 against Pittsburgh, LSU, Kentucky and South Carolina

There are five toss-up games this year for Tennessee football, and these are four of them. You may not consider the Kentucky Wildcats or South Carolina Gamecocks toss-up games, but be realistic. UT beat Kentucky by a field goal last year, and that was due to a pick-six with a player they no longer have. The Vols were also coming off a bye.

This year, Kentucky is the team coming off the bye in that game, so even though it’s in Knoxville, it’s a toss-up. Meanwhile, they face South Carolina on the road in the 11th game of the season, which will be their seventh straight without a bye. It’s Shane Beamer’s second year, and he has a quarterback now in Spencer Rattler.

Simply put, both games will be tougher. The Pittsburgh Panthers and LSU Tigers are both road games as well. Taking all this into account, there are difficult things about all of these games. As a result, it’s reasonable to hope the Vols split them, particularly when they are three road games.

Some fans expect UT to win all four or at least three of four, but that’s a bit ambitious. What helps the Vols against Pitt and LSU, to be fair, is Pitt’s lack of experience with their quarterback and the fact that LSU has a new head coach. Oh, they are also playing LSU off their bye. So yes, some things work in their favor, but winning two here is crucial.

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