'Tennessee fans won't be happy with it' – College football analyst Cole Cubelic doesn't have an optimistic win total for Vols in 2025
SEC Network college football analyst and McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning co-host Cole Cubelic doesn't have an optimistic win total for the Tennessee Vols in 2025. The Vols' most common win total is currently set at 8.5 wins. And Cubelic doesn't see nine wins on Tennessee's schedule this fall. "Absolutely I do," said Cubelic […]
SEC Network college football analyst and McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning co-host Cole Cubelic doesn't have an optimistic win total for the Tennessee Vols in 2025.
The Vols' most common win total is currently set at 8.5 wins. And Cubelic doesn't see nine wins on Tennessee's schedule this fall.
"Absolutely I do," said Cubelic when asked if he's taking on the under on Tennessee at 8.5 wins. "Syracuse to open the season, not going to be easy. ETSU, then you get Georgia. Then you get UAB, then you're at Mississippi State, a team that if (quarterback) Blake Shapen is healthy is going to be a lot different than last year. I think a lot of people just throw that one out, and if Blake Shapen's healthy, that's a team that could be very different.
"You got Arkansas at home, then you're at Alabama. Then you're at Kentucky, which you may have a Mark Stoops team fighting for its life. You may have a Sam Pittman team (Arkansas) fighting for their life. Then you get Oklahoma at home. We think Oklahoma is going to be the most improved team in the league. Then you get New Mexico State after a bye week, then you're at Florida. Then you get Vanderbilt to close the season out at home. I don't see nine wins there. I think eight [wins] would be a solid season. Tennessee fans won't be happy with it. But I don't think they have the depth to overcome a lot of the losses with that roster this year."
It's a fair take from Cubelic. Tennessee has plenty of talent, but it's mostly unproven talent. The Vols are breaking in an almost entirely new offensive line (only one starter returning) and wide receiver group (also only one starter returning).
Additionally, the Vols lost superstar edge rusher James Pearce to the 2025 NFL Draft. Other key team leaders, such as Dylan Sampson, Omari Thomas, and Cooper Mays are also off to the NFL after standout careers on Rocky Top.
And then there's the fact that quarterback Nico Iamaleava left the program for UCLA at the end of the spring practice. As of now, we have no idea who Tennessee's starting quarterback will be when the season gets underway on August 30.
Tennessee can certainly make some noise and return to the College Football Playoff in 2025, but there are a lot of unknowns that have to turn into knowns (that are positive) for that to happen .
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