The college football season is six days away and Tennessee football is 13 days away from kicking off its season against Syracuse in Atlanta. With kickoff nearing, ESPN released its official preseason bowl projections ahead of the 2025 season.
Both Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura have Tennessee making a bowl game but not making the College Football Playoffs. So where do they see the Vols finishing their 2025 season? And who against?
Bonagura is a bit higher on Tennessee, predicting the Vols to face off against Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Years Eve in Orlando. Schlabach has Tennessee facing off against Iowa State in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27.
The Vols played in the Citrus Bowl just two years ago, dominating Iowa 35-0 on New Years Day to finish off the 2023 season with a 9-4 record. Tennessee also has Citrus Bowl experience against Michigan, defeating the Wolverines 45-17 on New Years Day 2002.
Michigan is coming off an 8-5 season that saw them struggle early as the defending national champions before beating Ohio State to conclude the regular season and knocking off Alabama 19-14 in the ReliQuest Bowl in Tampa.
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Tennessee has never played in the Texas Bowl. It’s a relatively new bowl game that began in 2006 in Houston. Iowa State is coming off an 11-3 season that ended with the Cyclones defeating Miami in a thrilling Pop Tarts Bowl. The Cyclones open up their 2025 season in week zero, facing Kansas State in Dublin.
Expectations vary for Tennessee entering the 2025 season. The Vols are coming off a strong 2024 season that saw them post a 10-3 record and earn a berth in the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff. But it’s been a rocky offseason for Tennessee.
All-American cornerback Jermod McCoy tore his ACL in January, quarterback Nico Iamaleava entered the transfer portal in April and preseason All-SEC defensive back Boo Carter is in rocky standing with the team after no-showing summer workouts.
There’s plenty of questions around Tennessee entering the season but also reason for optimism with a run game and defense that project to be strong again in Josh Heupel’s fifth season as head coach.
Tennessee came in at No. 18 in the Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the Preseason AP Poll. The league’s media picked the Vols’ to finish ninth in the conference this season. But computer based rankings are higher on Tennessee with Bill Connely’s SP+ ratings ranking Tennessee No. 12 nationally and ESPN’s FPI ranking them No. 8 nationally.
