Tennessee Volunteers College Football Betting - CFB Lines

2024 Tennessee Volunteers College Football Betting

After three years as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, Josh Heupel has established credibility that several of his predecessors lacked. Heupel has led Big Orange to final national rankings of 6th and 17th the past two years. But after an 11-2 campaign in 2022, the 9-4 mark in 2023 was a letdown to some fans. Still, Tennessee has improved under Heupel and is expected to make a serious run at the College Football Playoff in 2024. The Vols should get improved quarterback play this year as the defense continues its ascent. With the retirement of Nick Saban at Alabama there is a sense that a window has opened for another program to become the dominant brand in the SEC.

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2024 Tennessee Volunteers Betting Preview

Tennessee’s historic 2022 offense dipped in 2023. There’s reason to believe that it will snap back into elite form in 2024, with rising star quarterback Nico Iamaleava running the show. The defensive line has star power. The secondary and offensive skill positions will dictate the ceiling, as Tennessee has the pieces to compete for a College Football Playoff spot.

It’s Nico Iamaleava time in Tennessee. The former 5-star quarterback is taking the reins of head coach Josh Heupel’s high-powered offense. Iamaleava, a redshirt freshman, flashed in four games and then performed well in the Citrus Bowl against Iowa. He injects life into the offense after a frustrating season with Joe Milton III at the helm.

Bru McCoy returns after a season-ending injury to lead the wide receiver corps. Squirrel White needs to make a jump, as does former Oregon transfer Dont’e Thornton Jr. Freshmen Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley are good additions. Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell II could elevate the passing attack, as could Notre Dame transfer tight end Holden Staes.

Tennessee ran the ball extremely well last season. Dylan Sampson (604 yards, seven TDs) is the leading returning rusher and will be the main back, but the group lacks proven depth.

Tennessee’s defense features one of the game’s most dominant forces in edge rusher James Pearce Jr., a likely top-10 NFL Draft pick in 2025 after a sophomore season with 14.5 tackles for a loss and ten sacks. Tennessee led the SEC in tackles for a loss with 101 and was second in sacks with 41 last season. The defensive line is the unquestioned strength of the unit — but that group and the defense as a whole must perform better against elite competition.

2024 Tennessee Volunteers Football Schedule

The Tennessee Volunteers have a glorious history but a more checkered period of tumult over the past 15 years.

Tennessee has a total of six claimed national championships and eight unclaimed nattys. The last national title for the Vols was in 1998, their first since 1967. Additionally, Tennessee has 16 conference championships in its history.

Tennessee has not had a double-digit win season since 2007, their only one since 2004. The Volunteers have not finished in the national rankings in 2015 and 2016, their only two campaigns since 2007. Tennessee has not ended up in the final national top ten since 2001.

The Tennessee descent began when they won the 1998 national championship. Then-head coach Phillip Fulmer got too comfortable, and recruiting slipped badly. Fulmer was forced into retirement after the 2008 season, and the program has floundered ever since.

Lane Kiffin, Butch Jones, Jeremy Pruitt, and Josh Heupel followed Fulmer with limited success. Jones seemed on the cusp with 9-4 seasons in 2015 and 2016 but could not maintain momentum.

Tennessee has relied too much on its past for its future. Recruiting and the SEC have changed dramatically since Fulmer was at the peak of his power.

Ironically enough, Tennessee has grown rapidly in population over the past two decades, with far more football talent available. But that has not translated into recruiting success for the Volunteers.

Tennessee has had plenty of great players in its storied past. Namely, Doug Atkins, Peyton Manning, Reggie White, Eric Berry, and Johnny Majors are among the Big Orange greats.

2024-2025 College Football Schedule

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