Expectations for the 2025 Season and ESPN direspect.

[TN Volunteers.]

Hopefully, I am not jinxing anything, but I am excited about the 2025 season and do not think that it will be a transitional year. Yes, we are losing many key players, but they can be replaced. We are losing Sampson, but our RBS are good every year. I think we will do what we did in 2023 and use Star Thomas, DeSean Bishop, and Peyton Lewis. I think our o-line will be better through development and transfers. Nico will be much better. I saw his improvement throughout the season. He looked good in the second half of Alabama, great vs. Kentucky, and would have had 400 yards if not for drops, looked great vs Mississippi State, looked good vs Georgia, and looked great vs Vandy. He didn't even look bad vs OSU. The O-line just could not block, so they could just put 7 in coverage. If Nico improves his deep ball, he could become elite next season. Our receiving core has gotten worse just from looking at it, but I think our receiving core has high potential, just not much experience.
ESPN put us behind Illinois, Indiana, Kansas State, Iowa State, and BYU are the big ones. I think we should be above Florida and other teams like them, but I am not that mad about that.

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

Probably win 9 games or so. Beating Florida in Gainesville will be very hard

 

[TN Volunteers.]

Probably win 9 games or so. Beating Florida in Gainesville will be very hard

Yah. I think we will beat Georgia Florida or bama and go 1/3 vs them. I don’t see us screwing up the others because we do not have games on the road where I think the teams are good enough for us to screw up. We are almost perfect at home though

 

[Hank Bukowski]

Probably win 9 games or so. Beating Florida in Gainesville will be very hard

This.

 

[bpalmer28]

Never underestimate the impact of better (or worse) OL and QB play. Pretty obvious that it’s reasonable to expect these key positions to perform better.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

I am ready for Mike Matthews to step up and show out, and Staley, and for Brazzel to put on another 10 lbs or more of muscle. Then, our incoming Fr. receivers, plus Brame ... I am really excited about them, and our entire receiving CORPS.

 

[Chad F]

This team can’t win big games on the road - well, they haven’t proven that they can as of yet.

Unfortunately, we’re in the road for Alabama and Florida in 2025. And we haven’t shown that we can beat Georgia anywhere. Plus, we habitually drop at least one that we shouldn’t. Unless there is a big step forward in multiple areas, we are looking at 8 wins. Maybe even 7 isn’t outside the realm of possibility.

But - what the hell? - I’m predicting undefeated in 2025!!

 

[njvols]

Never underestimate the impact of better (or worse) OL and QB play. Pretty obvious that it’s reasonable to expect these key positions to perform better.

Yes...D should not have a fall off, even if not quite as good. Higher level QB play, which OL is an important part of, is the equalizer that can leapfrog you over other teams. I think Nico's ceiling will go no higher than the OL protecting him...I think he'll be better next year, but we won't really feel like it unless our OL has been upgraded.

SEC top to bottom, in most all three major sports now is a true gauntlet....where bounces of the ball can elevate you or put you in the middle of the pack. I'm just glad we're seemingly back to being decent (8ish wins) on our worst year expectations. It stunk during our down years to look at a schedule and try to figure out how in the world we'll get bowl eligible.

 

[LWSVOL]

I'm thinking 8 wins. too many new pieces that will take to mid-season to jell. Almost the entire offense is new. May have a new corner replacing your best corner. Lost several DL... with new guys always takes a little time (See Heard, Brazzell, Thornton, E Davis,). Some do ok but there are enough struggles to worry with as many new as there will be

 

[AstonRoyal]

Hopefully, I am not jinxing anything, but I am excited about the 2025 season and do not think that it will be a transitional year. Yes, we are losing many key players, but they can be replaced. We are losing Sampson, but our RBS are good every year. I think we will do what we did in 2023 and use Star Thomas, DeSean Bishop, and Peyton Lewis. I think our o-line will be better through development and transfers. Nico will be much better. I saw his improvement throughout the season. He looked good in the second half of Alabama, great vs. Kentucky, and would have had 400 yards if not for drops, looked great vs Mississippi State, looked good vs Georgia, and looked great vs Vandy. He didn't even look bad vs OSU. The O-line just could not block, so they could just put 7 in coverage. If Nico improves his deep ball, he could become elite next season. Our receiving core has gotten worse just from looking at it, but I think our receiving core has high potential, just not much experience.
ESPN put us behind Illinois, Indiana, Kansas State, Iowa State, and BYU are the big ones. I think we should be above Florida and other teams like them, but I am not that mad about that.

I gotta be honest with you, I don't actually care about our record for 2025. I know it's gonna be a down year with all of the talent and seniors leaving, as well as the lack of quality depth and talent.

For 2025, I just want to see signs that we can win a Championship in 2026.

 

[tennesseeduke]

If Nico is elite we get at least 10 and another playoff berth.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I'm thinking 8 wins. too many new pieces that will take to mid-season to jell. Almost the entire offense is new. May have a new corner replacing your best corner. Lost several DL... with new guys always takes a little time (See Heard, Brazzell, Thornton, E Davis,). Some do ok but there are enough struggles to worry with as many new as there will be

If we only win 8 games then that’s a complete failure for this staff.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

If Nico is elite we get at least 10 and another playoff berth.

Gonna take more than Nico. He can be the list elite QB in the nation but if the OL can’t protect him and the WRs can’t catch, then it won’t matter.

 

[Golfprovol]

If we only win 8 games then that’s a complete failure for this staff.

That comment is a complete failure. Plenty of reasons we could only win 8 games. To make such an absolute statement is ridiculous.

Does you attitude change if Nico gets hurt in game #1? Would 8 wins then be a failure?

 

[Volizona]

We will be underdogs at Bama and Florida and home against Georgia. Would love to see us steal one of these games. If so, 10-2 is probably the ceiling and we would sneak in the CFP again. There is always risk of losing a game we shouldn’t lose as well. Would like to think 8-4 is the floor and 10-2 is the ceiling, but who knows.

 

[Voltopia]

8 wins, probably. Leaning toward 8, but if Nico and the passing game / offensive line are improved, 9 wins, and 10 if they can steal that Georgia game at home. Road games have not been kind to Tennessee with the current staff, so I'm marking them as losses for now.

Heupel is headed for the eye of the hurricane next year - they're in serious need of some adjustments, at the same time they're wading into year two of an absolutely brutal conference. And frankly, I don't think most folks' expectations are aligned with this new reality, namely that every schedule is a murderer's row of good teams and the old expectations of 11-1 or 10-2 will need to adjust to 8-4 or 9-3. A bunch of average-to-good teams, a few pretty good teams, and maybe - maybe - one or two great teams. Just like the NFL, which seriously sucks.

 

[orangemadam]

9 wins. Lose the regular trio Ga, Ala, Fla

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

We have a pretty decent sample size since Heupel has been here. In most (not all), but most road games we have struggled, especially against teams of equal or more talent. Which to me means you can just about automatically mark Bama and UF in the loss column.

We get UGA at home this year, but JH hasn't beaten them yet. Even with an unproven QB they're gonna be hard to beat. They still have more talent than we do, I have hard time seeing a win there.

And then there is the unexplainable Akry (2024), USCe (2022) UF (2023) game that might happen somewhere. Who knows which game that might be this year.

All the above together with replacing several veteran OL, paired with an OL coach whose hardly developed anybody since being here...a WR group that is unproven, and also coached poorly...lost an NFL RB, and several DL...and I'm still not 100% sold that Nico is a great QB. He's got a lot to prove this year....all these things together make it hard for me see us not taking a step back. I think 8 wins is where we land.

 

[hUTch2002]

This team can’t win big games on the road - well, they haven’t proven that they can as of yet.

Unfortunately, we’re in the road for Alabama and Florida in 2025. And we haven’t shown that we can beat Georgia anywhere. Plus, we habitually drop at least one that we shouldn’t. Unless there is a big step forward in multiple areas, we are looking at 8 wins. Maybe even 7 isn’t outside the realm of possibility.

But - what the hell? - I’m predicting undefeated in 2025!!

“This team” hasn’t played a game yet so nothing is proven or disproven.

 

[LWSVOL]

If we only win 8 games then that’s a complete failure for this staff.

I guess one can have that opinion. IMO, they over achieved in 2024 by getting into the playoffs.

 

[Big Orange Rob]

8 or 9 wins. 10 if the OL and Nico take a big step forward.

 

[Sarms58]

It mostly depends upon our line play on both sides of the ball IMO

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

ESPN has us at 19th. To take that as disrespect is outrageous.

 

[Rocky Top T]

9-3. Possibly 8-4

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Honestly I'm not sure what to expect for next season. Gut feeling is 8-9 wins would be a good year and 10 would be overachieving. We're replacing almost the entire OL, a few pieces on defense, and almost the entire WR room (I get the "upgrade" argument but it's still replacing with brand-new receivers who haven't been in the offense and the past couple seasons have proven that shiny new receivers we get don't contribute right away).