Early bowl game prediction made for Tennessee Vols
The Tennessee Vols haven't played in a bowl game since the end of the 2016 season, but that streak will end this season according to a recent prediction. Sporting News recently made their 2019 bowl game projections and they have Tennessee playing against Nebraska in the TaxSlayer Bowl (formerly the Gator Bowl). Reaching the TaxSlayer […]
The Tennessee Vols haven't played in a bowl game since the end of the 2016 season, but that streak will end this season according to a recent prediction.
Sporting News recently made their 2019 bowl game projections and they have Tennessee playing against Nebraska in the TaxSlayer Bowl (formerly the Gator Bowl).
Reaching the TaxSlayer Bowl would mark the end of a successful season for the Vols. Five of the last ten teams to play in the TaxSlayer Bowl won at least nine games. Winning nine games would be a massive improvement for Tennessee, considering they've won only nine games total over the last two seasons.
The Vols played in the TaxSlayer Bowl after the 2014 season, beating the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28.
Tennessee's previous appearance in the TaxSlayer bowl broke a four year bowl game drought for the Volunteers, so it would certainly be an appropriate bowl game for UT in 2019.
Though it really doesn't matter which bowl game the Vols reach next season — they just need to reach one. Another bowl-less season will have a negative impact on recruiting. It's pivotal to the future success of Tennessee to win at least six games next season (the extra practices gained by playing in a bowl game wouldn't hurt, either).
Jeremy Pruitt isn't going to turn Tennessee football into a powerhouse overnight. It's going to take small, incremental steps to get the Vols back to the top of the SEC East. But the next step is definitely reaching a bowl game.
A lot will transpire between now and the end of the 2019 season. For now, however, the Vols are viewed as a team who is expected to play past November.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
