Following three years as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, Josh Heupel has established his College Football Betting credibility. Heupel has led Big Orange to final national rankings of 6th and 17th the past two years. But after an 11-2 campaign in 2022, the 9-4 mark in 2023 was a letdown to some fans. Still, Tennessee has improved under Heupel. Now, they are expected to make a serious run at the College Football Playoff in 2024. The Vols should get improved quarterback play this year as the defense continues its ascent.
College Football Futures 2024 Tennessee Volunteers
| Tennessee Volunteers Odds to Win National Championship | +3000 |
|---|---|
| Tennessee Volunteers Odds to Win SEC Championship | +1100 |
| Over/Under Win Total: | 9.5 |
2024 Tennessee Volunteers Schedule
- Aug. 31 vs. Chattanooga
- Sept. 7 vs. NC State (Charlotte)
- Sept. 14 vs. Kent State
- Sept. 21 at Oklahoma
- Sept. 28 Idle
- Oct. 5 at Arkansas
- Oct. 12 vs. Florida
- Oct. 19 vs. Alabama
- Oct. 26 Idle
- Nov. 2 vs. Kentucky
- Nov. 9 vs. Mississippi State
- Nov. 16 at Georgia
- Nov. 23 vs. UTEP
- Nov. 30 at Vanderbilt
Cause of the retirement of Nick Saban in Alabama, there is a sense that a window has opened for another program to become the dominant brand in the SEC.
2024 Tennessee Volunteers Preview
Tennessee’s historic 2022 offense indeed dipped in 2023. There’s an offshore bookmaker reason to believe that it will snap back into elite form in 2024. Especially with rising star quarterback Nico Iamaleava running the show. The defensive line has star power. The secondary and offensive skill positions will dictate the ceiling. Tennessee has the pieces to compete for a College Football Playoff spot.
Indeed, it is Nico Iamaleava’s time in Tennessee. The former 5-star quarterback is taking the reins of head coach Josh Heupel’s high-powered offense. Iamaleava, a redshirt freshman, flashed in four games and then performed well in the Citrus Bowl against Iowa. Correlate that he injects College Football Betting life into the offense after a frustrating season with Joe Milton III at the helm.
Namely, Bru McCoy returns after a season-ending injury to lead the wide receiver corps. Squirrel White needs to make a jump, as does former Oregon transfer Dont’e Thornton Jr. Meanwhile, Freshmen Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley are good additions. Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell II could elevate the passing attack, as could Notre Dame transfer tight end Holden Staes.
Last season, Tennessee ran the ball extremely well. Dylan Sampson (604 yards, seven TDs) is the leading returning rusher and will be the main back. But the group lacks proven depth.
Tennessee’s defense features one of the game’s most dominant forces in edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Accordingly, Pearce is a likely Top-10 NFL Draft pick in 2025 after a sophomore season with 14.5 tackles for a loss and ten sacks. Tennessee led the SEC in tackles for a loss with 101 and was second in sacks with 41 last season. The defensive line is the unquestioned strength of the unit. But that group and the defense must perform better against elite competition.
Previously, Tennessee has relied too much on its past for its future. Recruiting and the SEC have changed dramatically since Fulmer was at the peak of his power. Ironically, Tennessee has grown rapidly in population over the past two decades. And there is far more football talent available. But that has not translated into recruiting success for the Volunteers.