The Tennessee Volunteers are looking to make noise in the SEC Conference entering the 2024 season. Tennessee is a team that everyone could be sleeping on this year. A lot of teams in the SEC know about the potential of the Georgia Bulldogs, the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Texas Longhorns, and the Ole Miss Rebels.
The Volunteers last season finished with a 9-4 record and 4-4 in SEC play. Tennessee has a chance to put its name on the table when it comes to making the expanded college football playoff in 2024. The Tennessee Volunteers have a lot of potential and talent on the roster moving forward under head coach Josh Huepel.
To end last year, they defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 35-0 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. Sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava got his feet wet in that matchup for the Volunteers. He has a chance to make noise in the SEC during his sophomore season. He was one of the top recruits for the Tennessee Volunteers a couple of years ago.
Athlon Sports Thinks That the Tennessee Volunteers Will Be a Dark Horse Team For the 2024 Season in the SEC
Scout Springgate of Athlon Sports predicted one team from each of the power four conferences to potentially have a dark horse season. They think that in the SEC, the Tennessee Volunteers will be the one team to keep an eye on for this year. Athlon Sports said:
“With Josh Heupel entering his fourth season as head coach of the Volunteers, the program dipped into the transfer portal this offseason and obtained the services of many skilled players. Headlining the transfer haul are offensive tackle Lance Heard, tight end Holden Staes, wide receiver Chris Brazzell II, and cornerback Jermod McCoy.
For the offense, the Vols will have sophomore Nico Iamaleava under center as he assumes the starting role this fall. Iamaleava will have Dylan Sampson as the lead running back, with Cameron Seldon and Khalifa Keith rotating in as the secondary running backs.
Tennessee’s wide receiver room will be led by a trio of Bru McCoy, Squirrel White, and transfer Chris Brazzell II, with younger players such as Nathan Leacock potentially stepping into the spotlight.
The Volunteers’ biggest strength will be its defensive line, which adds elite transfer Lance Heard to a unit that performed extremely well last season. In a conference filled with offensive talent, winning in the trenches will be the recipe for success.
The Vols’ schedule includes a moderate conference mixture of elite national opponents and mid-to-low-tier programs. Tennessee’s biggest challenge will be its high-profile matchup on Nov. 16, against conference-favorite Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Georgia.
Tennessee could certainly be a sleeper team within the SEC, especially if the offense can return to its 2022 form and the program can get a strong performance from its defense throughout the season. “
The Tennessee Volunteers do have a favorable schedule this season, which could help them compete in the SEC. A season ago, the Missouri Tigers were the surprise team in the SEC and they only had two losses all season long. Some think Missouri will be good again this year and some think they could take a step back.
With the favorable schedule, this season, the Tennessee Volunteers have a chance to lose fewer games this season. It may not be a surprise to Tennessee if they make the playoffs this season, but it could be a surprise to the country because of quarterback play.
