The Tennessee Volunteers football team finally made its comeback to relevance last season. The Volunteers finished the season at 11-2, with losses to the National Champion Georgia Bulldogs and the South Carolina Gamecocks. It was the first double-digit win season for Tennessee since 2007 and their first 11-win season since 2001. Those on good ol' Rocky Top hope that much of last season's success can be replicated and even exceeded, with perhaps the Vols achieving the unthinkable and making the College Football Playoff. That would indeed be a bold prediction, wouldn't it? Hmm.

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4. Joe Milton will be a Heisman finalist 

Joe Milton was a four-star recruit who signed with Michigan all the way back in 2018. The 23-year-old, who is now old enough to start in the NFL, showed that, much like his predecessor Hendon Hooker, his career can be revitalized under third-year head coach Josh Heupel and his offensive style. When called upon to fill in for Hooker midway through the South Carolina game, and subsequently finishing the season against Vanderbilt and in the Orange Bowl game against Clemson, Milton looked capable of handling the starting role. With playing time in a total of nine games last year, Milton threw for just under a thousand yards and had 10 touchdowns with no interceptions.

Milton is best known for his cannon-like arm, which he has seemingly hinted can throw a football farther than anyone on the planet. However, the question remains as to where that ball will end up. This has been his glaring weakness all along, going back to his first season at Tennessee when he was initially made the starter at the beginning of the 2021 season. Hooker eventually replaced Milton in 2021 after an injury and was on the verge of going to New York last season as a Heisman finalist, if not for tearing his ACL in the South Carolina game. Now that Hooker is gone and Milton will have three years of experience in Heupel's system, which ranked as one of the best offenses in the country last year, Milton could have a similar year to Hooker in 2023.

If this year's Volunteer football team aims to continue playing among the elite in the SEC, a lot of that will be determined by Milton's success.

3. Georgia and Alabama wins and losses flip-flop in 2023

One of the greatest aspects of college football is the unique atmosphere created by home fans. There simply isn't another sport in the country that can replicate it. The Volunteers football team plays in one of the best venues in the country, Neyland Stadium, which holds over 100,000 fans on most fall Saturdays. Volunteers fans turned Neyland into one of the best atmospheres in the country last season, especially during and after the Alabama game, where Tennessee ended a 15-year losing streak against the Crimson Tide. It was one of the highlight games of the entire 2022 college football season, not just for Tennessee football.

This season, the Volunteers have to travel to Tuscaloosa. It remains to be seen if Alabama will return to their dominant ways in 2023, but rest assured that Nick Saban will be seeking revenge. The October 21 matchup will be one of only two notable road games for the Volunteers this season, and it's likely one they'll lose.

Tennessee will have to wait a little longer for Georgia this season. They'll host the Bulldogs in mid-November, looking to avenge one of their only two losses from last season. Again, Tennessee is tough at home, playing in front of one of the best fan bases in the entire country. Georgia will probably come into Knoxville undefeated, possibly on their way to the SEC Championship game, or at least believing so. Tennessee could pull off a massive upset against an overly confident Bulldogs team. Yet, I still don't believe it will be enough to secure a spot in the conference title game.

2. Tennessee will have an improved pass defense

In 2022, Tennessee's pass defense ranked 127th nationally, with only Vanderbilt and Arkansas faring worse in the SEC. The Volunteers' front four lacked consistent pressure, which ultimately negatively affected the secondary. Their high-paced offense certainly didn't help the defense either. Nevertheless, the crux of the issue lies in the need for improved talent and depth, particularly at cornerback.

Encouragingly, a solution seems to be emerging through some promising true freshmen in Cristian Conyer, Rickey Gibson III, and Jordan Matthews. Volunteers secondary coach Willie Martinez recently praised the trio, as reported by AZSports.

“I think they're a lot more comfortable than they were in the spring,” Martinez said. “By the fourth or fifth time we go through installations, we're seeing fewer alignment issues and more consistent execution. They're competing at a higher level because they have a better grasp of it. It's good to see. All three of them are consistently making plays during practice.”

While there were times when last year's defense seemed to be making strides, it would often falter just as quickly. If Tennessee can address this issue, even challenging the conventional notion that up-tempo offenses lead to weak defenses, the sky could be the limit.

1. Tennessee football gets upset by Missouri

On paper, it's easy to believe that Tennessee could lose to either or both Georgia and Alabama. But Missouri? Really? Yes, really, Missouri.

Right before the Volunteers play Georgia, they'll have to travel to Missouri to face the Tigers in an SEC East matchup. If Tennessee is performing well at that point, perhaps with only one loss, they might be looking ahead to the Georgia game. Missouri comes into 2023 ranking second in returning production, bringing back 83% of their top 30 defense from last season, per Bill Connelly at ESPN. They've also brought in notable transfers like former four-star Miami quarterback Jake Garcia. This situation feels like a trap game for Tennessee, much like the South Carolina game from last season.