Bill Connelly ESPN -- Vols ceiling 11-1; floor is 7-5

[Freak]

10. Tennessee Volunteers
Ceiling: 11-1 | Floor: 7-5
Initial SP+ rank: 6 | Odds of finishing 11-1 or better: 13%
Biggest variable: The Joe Milton bandwagon. Does it derail once again? As I wrote in Tuesday's SP+ projections piece, Milton has seduced multiple head coaches with his rocket-launcher arm (and looked great in the Orange Bowl against Clemson), but he has also twice lost his starting job. If he properly captains Josh Heupel's up-tempo offense -- a QB-friendly attack that returns a loaded run game and talented receivers such as Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton -- then the sky is the limit for a Volunteers team that boasts massive defensive experience and, intriguingly, hosts Georgia. Is Milton's third time a charm?


Undefeated Michigan? 9-3 Georgia? Ceilings, floors and variables for each Top 25 team

 

[Caculator]

15-0

 

[Zues1]

Well duh

 

[FLVOL_79]

15-0

NC or bust
(purple font)

 

[Vol8188]

6-6 is our floor but unlikely

 

[FLVOL_79]

6-6 is our floor but unlikely

Buzzkill

 

[Hulavol]

15-0… Vols by Fiddy in every game

 

[deezvols]

15-0… Vols by Fiddy in every game

Negavol…. Didn’t say 60

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

6-6 is our floor but unlikely

7-5 and 6-6 is not possible.

 

[stolitonic]

Honestly, I'm expecting like an 8-4 type season. I will not complain if we hit that mark as long as we are competitive in every game.

What I really want though is to beat the everlasting snot out of SC. No mercy. They have gone up there with the Alabama and Georgia blowhard fans in terms of annoyance. At least the other two have something to crow about.

 

[Hulavol]

Honestly, I'm expecting like an 8-4 type season. I will not complain if we hit that mark as long as we are competitive in every game.

What I really want though is to beat the everlasting snot out of SC. No mercy. They have gone up there with the Alabama and Georgia blowhard fans in terms of annoyance. At least the other two have something to crow about.

This cannot be stated strongly enough. (And yes, 8-4 is fine given the challenges with depth we still have, but I hope for better). SCarolina needs to be beaten into absolute oblivion. I mean flat obliterated. I mean, make them literally question if they can continue to even have a football season.
Beat. Their. Ass.
.

 

[Vol8188]

7-5 and 6-6 is not possible.

Based on?

 

[IndianaVol]

Honestly, I look at last year as kind of an anomaly and outlier - there were guys on that team that just wanted it more than anyone else in every game.
I'm going to set my expectations somewhere right in the middle for 2023.

If our men finish the regular season at 9-3 while being competitive in every game with flashes from our Freshmen and Sophomores, I will be happy and consider it a good season.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

If we go 11-1 then it means we beat either Bama or Georgia. And if we beat either one of them, then our ceiling should be undefeated...

 

[Hulavol]

If we go 11-1 then it means we beat either Bama or Georgia. And if we beat either one of them, then our ceiling should be undefeated...

By this logic, 1-11 means ceiling should be 12-0.
If we go 1-11, that means we beat slippery rock. If we beat slippery our cieling should be 2-10. But if we win two, means we beat slippery rock and South Carolina school for deaf and blind. And if we beat both of them, then our cieling should naturally be 3-9 - and if 3-9, means we beat either Vandy or UTSA… and so on and so on…right ?

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

By this logic, 1-11 means ceiling should be 12-0.
If we go 1-11, that means we beat slippery rock. If we beat slippery our cieling should be 2-10. But if we win two, means we beat slippery rock and South Carolina school for deaf and blind. And if we beat both of them, then our cieling should naturally be 3-9 - and if 3-9, means we beat either Vandy or UTSA… and so on and so on…right ?

Huh?

 

[VFL-82-JP]

6-6 is our floor but unlikely

I don't see that.

With OOC games against Virginia, Austin Peay, UTSA, and UConn (surprisingly, UTSA is the greatest challenge there, not the Power 5 Cavaliers) ... and conference opponents Vandy, Mizzou, and Kentucky ... I simply can't see less than seven Ws.

And between Florida, A&M, and South Carolina, another one or two pretty likely.

So I'd think 8 is a more realistic lower limit.

But that's just me.

 

[Voldog1998]

I see 10-2 or 9-3 at the very worst. I think we can win the East by getting Georgia at home. We won’t have more than 1 loss coming into that game. Let’s turn that Florida streak around and get a long awaited win in the swamp and let’s beat Beamer by 50 in Neyland those are two huge games just in September. We are going to be really good this season and won’t fall off much and Milton is going to have a great season. GBO!!

 

[Vol8188]

I don't see that.

With OOC games against Virginia, Austin Peay, UTSA, and UConn (surprisingly, UTSA is the greatest challenge there, not the Power 5 Cavaliers) ... and conference opponents Vandy, Mizzou, and Kentucky ... I simply can't see less than seven Ws.

And between Florida, A&M, and South Carolina, another one or two pretty likely.

So I'd think 8 is a more realistic lower limit.

But that's just me.

Florida, A&M, South Carolina, and Kentucky are all very losable games. I don’t think we will actually lose all 4, but all four are within the realm of possibility

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I see 10-2 or 9-3 at the very worst. I think we can win the East by getting Georgia at home. We won’t have more than 1 loss coming into that game. Let’s turn that Florida streak around and get a long awaited win in the swamp and let’s beat Beamer by 50 in Neyland those are two huge games just in September. We are going to be really good this season and won’t fall off much and Milton is going to have a great season. GBO!!

The big question with Georgia will be quarterback. They never appreciated it, but Bennett was really good when the chips were down. He was just a winner. That is not easily replaced. Their defense will probably be better next year than it was this year, but they'll be getable if they don't have an answer at quarterback. They've got some highly rated guys on the bench but none have really ever took a meaningful snap.

 

[Voldog1998]

The big question with Georgia will be quarterback. They never appreciated it, but Bennett was really good when the chips were down. He was just a winner. That is not easily replaced. Their defense will probably be better next year than it was this year, but they'll be getable if they don't have an answer at quarterback. They've got some highly rated guys on the bench but none have really ever took a meaningful snap.

We need Georgia to come back to the pack

 

[VOLfrombama]

He’s wrong.

15-0 is the ceiling until its not.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Honestly, I'm expecting like an 8-4 type season. I will not complain if we hit that mark as long as we are competitive in every game.

What I really want though is to beat the everlasting snot out of SC. No mercy. They have gone up there with the Alabama and Georgia blowhard fans in terms of annoyance. At least the other two have something to crow about.

I think 8-4 is a very respectable prediction. That’s what I think and we win our bowl game and go 9-4. I think that would be a good year given the turnover.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

The big question with Georgia will be quarterback. They never appreciated it, but Bennett was really good when the chips were down. He was just a winner. That is not easily replaced. Their defense will probably be better next year than it was this year, but they'll be getable if they don't have an answer at quarterback. They've got some highly rated guys on the bench but none have really ever took a meaningful snap.

Doubt their defense is better next year. You saying replacing Bennett is gonna be tough well replacing Jalen Carter and Kylee Ringinwill be even harder. I see UGA upgrading significantly at QB. The guys they have are really good. I can see UGAs defense taking a small step back.

 

[Rocky Top T]

9-3.