The Tennessee Vols have scored 79 points during their 2-0 start to the 2023 season. 

That's not exactly a "slow start" by most standards. 

Tennessee, however, led the nation in scoring last season. And the feeling going into the first two weeks of the 2023 season was that the Vols would likely score more than 100 points combined against Virginia and Austin Peay. 

But for various reasons (dropped passes, off-target throws, Austin Peay's game plan, etc), that's just not how it went for Tennessee. 

The Vols, though, aren't deterred by the rocky start to the season. Their goal is still the same — win the SEC East and challenge for a national championship. 

And there's still plenty of confidence inside of Tennessee's locker room, despite the offense's "sluggish" start to the season.

But outside of the Vols' locker room? 

Eh, not so much. 

Tennessee's playoff chances, according to The Athletic, have fallen to just 0.9 percent after the first two weeks of the season. That's lower than programs like Ole Miss (1.6 percent), Auburn (1.1 percent), Oregon State (2.5 percent), and Alabama (15.1 percent, despite their loss to Texas), among several other programs. 

(The Vols' chances are lower than some programs because they play Georgia, but Ole Miss and Auburn, for what it's worth, also play the Bulldogs this season.)

Tennessee fans may not like the doubt that's being thrown the Vols' way early this season, but it's a great thing for UT football. 

The Vols were at their best last season when they played with a chip on their shoulder. When they felt disrespected or like no one believed in them, they turned those doubters into believers. 

Not sure how Tennessee will fare against Florida in Knoxville? 

A win for the Vols. 

But what about going to Baton Rouge to play LSU? 

An even bigger win for Tennessee. 

No way the Vols finally beat Bama, right? 

Wrong. Tennessee ended that losing streak to the Crimson Tide and had one of the best celebrations we've ever seen in college football. 

How about a trap game against Kentucky before the Vols play Georgia? 

No issues there. Tennessee blew 'em out. 

“We play with a chip on our shoulder at Tennessee. We get a lot of disrespect.” — Hendon Hooker at the combine (?: College Football Playbook) pic.twitter.com/hwOXWCAo8l

— zach ragan (@zachTNT) March 7, 2023

And that's when things got shaky for the Vols last season. After the beatdown of Kentucky in late October, which felt like the game where the Vols were at their best, things changed a bit. 

Tennessee was the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings the week they played Georgia in Athens. Suddenly the Vols went from being the hunters to being the hunted. And then they lost to the Bulldogs — Tennessee's first loss last season.

UT seemingly got back on track the next week with a 66-24 win against Missouri at home.

The next week was South Carolina. And no one gave the Gamecocks much of a chance against the Vols' high powered offense — especially after South Carolina lost 38-6 to a not-very-good Florida team the week before. 

An overconfident Tennessee team, however, was embarrassed in Columbia. The team with the chip on their shoulder (South Carolina) was the team celebrating at the end of the night. 

“We didn’t have enough urgency. We thought we was going to come in there and everything was going to fall where it was supposed to.” — Vols LB Aaron Beasley on the Vols’ defensive struggles against South Carolina pic.twitter.com/GBw44e3ycI

— zach ragan (@zachTNT) November 21, 2022

This really isn't just a Tennessee thing — plenty of teams (pro, college, high school) operate at a higher level when they're doubted and then have a harder time finding wins when everyone is singing their praises. It's something that Georgia and Kirby Smart constantly battle (Smart will do whatever it takes to motivate his team). 

Before the start of the 2023 season, the hype was building for Tennessee. They weren't quite in that College Football Playoff discussion, but they were one of the teams mentioned by a large number of analysts as a dark horse team that could reach the playoff. 

Thanks to the "sluggish" start from the Vols, that hype has dwindled. Tennessee is once again in a place where they have to prove themselves to the nation. 

And all of this couldn't come at a better time as the Vols get set to head to Gainesville for a massive showdown with Florida. 

The Vols might be favored, but they know there isn't much belief in them across the nation right now. And they'll be eager to show people why they should believe, just like last season. 

Josh Heupel and Billy Napier are approaching the Tennessee vs Florida game in very different ways

Josh Heupel and Billy Napier are approaching the Tennessee Vols vs Florida Gators game in very different ways

Featured image via Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports