Prominent national media outlet predicts Tennessee Vols' record in 2023
With SEC Media Days less than a month away, it's the time of year when season predictions start rolling in at a furious pace. Earlier this week, CBS Sports made some summer predictions for each SEC program. The prominent national sports media outlet predicted each SEC team's final record and which teams they'll falter against. […]
With SEC Media Days less than a month away, it's the time of year when season predictions start rolling in at a furious pace.
Earlier this week, CBS Sports made some summer predictions for each SEC program.
The prominent national sports media outlet predicted each SEC team's final record and which teams they'll falter against.
They have the Tennessee Vols finishing the 2023 regular season with a 9-3 record with losses to Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia.
From CBS Sports: Expectations are high in Knoxville despite significant roster losses including quarterback Hendon Hooker and receiver Jalin Hyatt. There's optimism that veteran Joe Milton III can keep the offense cranking at a high level, but keep in mind he lost the starting job in each of the last two seasons. He won't be able to replicate the success Hooker enjoyed, and the Vols will take a small step back. However, knocking on the door of 10 wins should be music to the ears of anyone who has followed Tennessee football for the last 15 years.
I can understand the Alabama and Georgia prediction for the Vols. Those are winnable games for Tennessee, but predicting the Vols to lose to Alabama on the road and to Georgia at home isn't a controversial take in any way.
But predicting Kentucky to beat Tennessee? I'm not sure I can see the logic in that one.
Sure, it could happen. But is it likely? History suggests it's not. Mark Stoops has been terrific since taking over at Kentucky in 2013, but he's only 2-8 against Tennessee during that span. And there were some pretty bad Vols teams during those years (the Vols lost at least six games in six of those seasons).
The only UT teams that Stoops managed to record wins against were the 2017 and 2020 teams. Both of those seasons ended with Tennessee's head coach getting fired.
Kentucky will always be a tough opponent as long as Stoops is in Lexington. But the Vols have the Wildcats' number. And there's no reason to think that'll change in 2023.
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Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
