If you look at the regular-season win total set by Vegas for Tennessee football in 2026, you’ll typically find the line set at 7.5. However, a popular SEC podcaster, Mike Bratton of That SEC Podcast, sees a path for the Vols to not just hit the over, but finish with 10 wins and find a berth in the 12-team playoffs.
In his optimistic game-by-game predictions for Tennessee’s 2026 schedule, he has the Vols finishing 10-2. He has the wins coming over Furman, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Auburn, Arkansas, Alabama, South Carolina, Kentucky, LSU and Vanderbilt. The losses are to Texas at home and Texas A&M on the road.
A 10-2 finish with losses to the Longhorns and Aggies would set up for a very strong playoff resume. As we saw last year, winning 10 games isn’t a lock to be in the field, but it would be tough to leave UT out in that scenario.
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This would also set up a potential pseudo-playoff game at the end of the year for Tennessee. In the pennultimate game of the year, the Vols will host LSU. Bratton sees this as a matchup with playoff implications.
“Imagine LSU comes into town, especially if they have the same record or Tennessee or better, but particularly if they have the same record, because this could be literally a playoff game,” Bratton said. “Kiffin, Heupel, Rocky Top. Man, we’re going to have to see so many highlights of the golf balls and the mustard bottle. Let’s hope none of that happens again, but what an epic, epic clash that would be.”
The game against LSU is scheduled for Nov. 21 in Neyland Stadium. It is in the FLEX window, meaning it will kick off either between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. ET or 6-8 p.m. ET.
