Rocky Top, you'll always be, home sweet home to me! After enduring one of the more successful seasons in recent program history, the Tennessee Volunteers are back at it again to prove that the 2022 season was certainly no fluke. Let's check out our college football odds series where our Tennessee over/under win total prediction and pick will be revealed for all to see.
After years upon years of sluggish and lackluster play, the once historically great Tennessee Volunteers football program had a resurgence last fall by going a remarkable 11-2 and almost single-handily finding itself in the College Football Playoff. With historic wins over Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, and even LSU for example, Tennessee reintroduced themselves as being a solid player yet again in an action-packed SEC Conference. While this roster as a whole will undergo some retooling in head coach Josh Heupel's third year in Knoxville, Tennessee is finally back as a respected football program.
Here are the College Football Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Over/Under Win Total Odds
Over 9.5 wins: (+146)
Under 9.5 wins: (-188)
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Tennessee Can Win 9.5 Games
A year ago, Tennessee shocked the college football world by looking nearly unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball. Led by QB Hendon Hooker, the Volunteers began the season by winning their first eight games before falling short to the eventual National Champs in Georgia by a score of 27-13. Although the 2022 season was by far the best season the Volunteers had endured in decades, their goal of officially returning to national prominence by reaching the College Football Playoff is still something that they have yet to achieve.
At first glance, the departures of Hendon Hooker and fellow wideout Jalin Hyatt won't make replicating the success on offense that much easier. Believe it or not, after it was Hooker that tore his ACL in crushing fashion against South Carolina, it was backup QB Joe Milton that showcased his stellar decision-making and big arm by throwing ten touchdowns to zero interceptions on 82 passing attempts. Not only that, but Milton's 6'5″, 245-pound frame allows him to use his glaring size to his advantage when taking off and running and even navigating chaos throughout the pocket. After getting benched at Michigan a couple years back, Milton is hoping that this is his year to shine as QB1 at Tennessee.
While a successful season by Joe Milton will greatly help the Volunteers in their pursuit of winning at least ten games, it may prove to be the transfer portal that ends up playing a gigantic role this season. Just like so many other schools around the country becoming so extremely dependent on the incoming transfers, be on the lookout for the eight additions coming on both sides of the ball to play a big role in Tennessee's success throughout the fall.
Why Tennessee Can Not Win 9.5 Games
Over the years where Tennessee has struggled to return to national prominence, the overall depth on the roster has been lacking to consistently be winners each season. Although the ‘Vols are coming off of an eleven-win season, this will yet again be an area of concern entering 2023. Despite having a tremendous 2023 recruiting class, the one position that Tennessee is thin in happens to be its pass defense. In fact, this was also one of Tennessee's major faults a year ago as well as the secondary got flamed by allowing more than 290 passing yards per game.
Believe it or not, this ranked 127th out of 131 FBS teams. Clearly, the Volunteers can't be much worse in this area, but can they be vastly improved at all? On paper, Tennessee is likely to not be as prolific offensively, so it will be an absolute must for Tennessee to be improved defensively.
Above all else, new starters on the offensive line could also spell trouble. Especially with a new starting quarterback waiting in the wings, the sense of urgency to stay locked in on blocking assignments and to perform well in the running and passing game will be of utmost importance. Obviously, it is hard to imagine this will be a strong suit for the Vols, and in an ultra-physical SEC where bruising play triumphs all, it is hard to imagine that the Tennessee offensive line isn't a cause for concern later this fall.
Final Tennessee Over/Under Win Total Prediction & Pick
Higher expectations for this program have been set after last year's remarkable run, and even if Tennessee takes a slight step back in 2o23, college football fans need to be aware of how talented QB Joe Milton is as he could be in store for a stellar senior campaign. With that being said, side with Tennessee to win at least ten games and have another respectable season under head coach Josh Heupel.
Final Tennessee Over/Under Win Total Prediction & Pick: Over 9.5 Wins (+146)
Follow Us
Subscribe