ESPN college football analyst explains pessimistic take on Tennessee Vols’ playoff hopes, but identifies a way the Vols can improve their chances
ESPN college football analyst explains pessimistic take on Tennessee Vols’ playoff hopes, but identifies a way the Vols can improve their chances
The Tennessee Vols reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history last season at 10-2, losing to Ohio State in the first round 42-17.
Can Tennessee get back there in 2025 with a completely revamped offense featuring 4 new starters on the offensive line, seven wide receivers gone, record-setting RB Dylan Sampson now a Cleveland Brown, and Nico Iamaleava now a UCLA Bruin? It won’t be easy.
ESPN ranked the top 32 teams with the highest College Football Playoff odds, and Tennessee came in tenth with a 38.5% chance at making the field and a 2.3% chance of winning it all. ESPN college football insider Heather Dinich weighed on whether she agrees or disagrees with the analytics’ odds, and she sees Tennessee chances as less than that number.
“Disagree. This is too high for the Vols, who return just 39% of their offense from last season’s playoff team (110th in the FBS). With former quarterback Nico Iamaleava at UCLA, and running back Dylan Sampson and the top three receivers from last season also gone, this team’s entire offensive identity is a question mark. The season opener against Syracuse in Atlanta is hardly a gimme to start the nation’s 15th-most difficult schedule.” – Heather Dinich, ESPN.
