No. 23 Boise State | No. 25 Texas A&M | Top 25
No. 24: Tennessee
Last Season: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)
Could this be the Vols' year?
Every year there's one long-suffering team that suddenly starts generating preseason buzz as a potential title-run sleeper. This year that team is Tennessee, a squad looking to secure its first winning season since 2009. For the first time in a long time, there is legit big-time talent scattered throughout the Big Orange roster, led by quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who spent summer electrifying the crowd at Nike HQ as a counselor at the Elite 11 QB camp. Along with tailback Jalen Hurd and sack masters Curt Maggitt and Derek Barnett, the Vols are likely to have invitees to a slew of postseason awards banquets. But establishing depth behind that solid first 22 is still a work in progress for tireless third-year coach Butch Jones. A visit from Oklahoma in Week 2 and a trip to The Swamp in Week 4 will put a young roster to the test before the Smoky Mountain leaves have a chance to change colors. -- Ryan McGee
With an SEC-best 18 starters back and oodles-yes, oodles-of talent on both sides of the ball, Tennessee appears poised to reclaim its status as an SEC powerhouse. QB Joshua Dobbs (17 total TDs last year) will benefit from UT's top 10 receivers returning. But in this conference, nothing comes easy: The Vols play at Alabama, Florida (10 straight losses to the Gators) and Missouri, and they have tough home dates with Georgia and Oklahoma
Tennessee's chances to win each game
09.05 vs. Bowling Green: 93.7%
09.12 vs. Oklahoma: 58.9%
09.19 vs. Western Carolina: 99.8%
09.26 @ Florida: 58.4%
10.03 vs. Arkansas: 54.2%
10.10 vs. Georgia: 51%
10.24 @Alabama: 31.9%*
10.31 @Kentucky: 73.9%
11.07 vs. South Carolina: 80.7%
11.14 vs. North Texas: 98%
11.21 @Missouri: 60.1%
11.28 vs. Vanderbilt: 87.2%
*BROCK HUARD, ESPN analyst: This game won't be close if Dobbs is as beat up as Tennessee's QBs sometimes are by October after a tough SEC run.
SHARON KATZ, ESPN Stats & Info: The Vols are on the rise (13th in preseason FPI), but FPI needs more to believe they can beat the best team of the past four years.
With 18 starters returning and one of the SEC's best returning quarterbacks guiding the offense, expect the Vols to finish the 2015 season with a 9-3 record. --Edward Aschoff
Tennessee fans should be bullish on what's happening under Butch Jones, although his staff might need one more year to position the Vols to win the SEC East since a grueling schedule that includes home games with Oklahoma, Arkansas and Georgia and road dates with Alabama, Florida and Missouri will cause the Vols to finish 7-5. -- David Ching
So much talent, but so much
Progress will be the key, and though Tennessee might be a year away, a 9-3 season will continue to show that progress. -- Greg Ostendorf
Having top-end talent is great and all, but without quality depth and experience the Vols won't get over the hump and become title contenders, instead going a respectable 8-4. -- Alex Scarborough
No. 23 Boise State | No. 25 Texas A&M | Top 25
