Tennessee Football Odds, Lines & Analysis for Season 2024/2

Last Season

The problem with UT last year was playing on the road as three of its four losses were away: at Florida, Alabama and Missouri.

The lone home loss was a 38-10 blowout to No. 1 Georgia but the Vols routed Vanderbilt 48-24 in the regular-season finale to at least finish at .500 in the SEC at 4-4. UT then crushed short-handed Iowa 35-0 in the Citrus Bowl.

Tennessee Quarterback

Freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava ran for three touchdowns and threw for one in his first career start to lead Tennessee.

Iamaleava, a prized recruit for Volunteers coach Josh Heupel, stepped in for senior Joe Milton, who opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft.

The 19-year-old threw for 151 yards, and his 27 rushing yards included three scores.

Iamaleava will be the guy under center from Day 1 this year. He’s the prototypical quarterback for Heupel’s offense.

You saw glimpses of that in his few regular-season appearances as a freshman last year.

His MVP performance in Tennessee’s Citrus Bowl victory confirmed his enormous potential.

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Offensive of the Volunteers

The Vols have to keep him healthy and UT took steps to do that after last season. It retained three of its starting offensive linemen — a testament, in part, to UT’s NIL management.

And the school also landed LSU offensive tackle Lance Heard, a former five-star recruit, from the transfer portal.

Tailback Jaylen Wright is gone after averaging over seven yards per carry on 1,013 yards but Dylan Sampson returns after being Tennessee’s second-leading rusher last year with 604 yards on 106 carries with seven TDs.

Bru McCoy

McCoy returns after a season-ending injury to lead the wide receiver corps. Also back is Squirrel White, who led the team with 67 catches for 803 yards in 2023.

Tulane transfer WR Chris Brazzell II could elevate the passing attack, as could Notre Dame transfer tight end Holden Staes.

Brazzell was a freshman All-America last year for the Green Wave as he caught 44 passes for 711 yards (16.2 avg) and five touchdowns.

Defensive of the Volunteers

He capped the year with a pick six in the Volunteers’ Citrus Bowl win over Iowa. Another big year from the pass rush is a must to help out a secondary with five new starters.

Pearce was named a 2024 Preseason All-American as was center Cooper Mays, who has played 2,075 career offensive snaps and issued only four sacks.

The Vols open with a non-conference game on Aug. 31 against Chattanooga and probably will win all four non-conference games.

In the SEC, they avoid Texas but visit Oklahoma and Georgia and host Alabama and Florida.