National media outlet makes early 2023 bowl game prediction for Tennessee Vols
The Tennessee Vols will be looking to prove that their successful 2022 season wasn’t a fluke
247Sports revealed their early 2023 bowl game predictions on Wednesday and I don't think Tennessee Vols fans are going to love them.
While it's certainly too early to make legitimate bowl game predictions, it's still fun to see how the national media views each college team. That way at the end of the season, we can take a look back at how Tennessee fared in comparison to pre-season predictions.
247Sports thinks the Vols will have another good season in 2023, but not quite as good as their 2022 season.
They have Tennessee finishing second in the SEC East and then reaching the Citrus Bowl in a matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
These two blue bloods have played five times ever, the last three coming during bowl season. Penn State sliding to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando means the Nittany Lions likely lose three games during the regular season this fall as a preseason-top-10 team. That's a stretch given Penn State's overall talent returning coming off its Rose Bowl win to cap an 11-win 2022 campaign, but the schedule pulls no punches this time around. Tennessee is our pick to finish second in the SEC East behind you know who.
If Tennessee ends up playing in the Citrus Bowl, it means they probably won't be in the College Football Playoff conversation.
In most seasons, the SEC team that plays in the Citrus Bowl is ranked somewhere between No. 10 and No. 20 (there have been some top 10 SEC teams that have played in the Citrus Bowl, but that's not typical).
Essentially, 247Sports is expecting the Vols to have a 10-3 type season. That would be a solid year after going 11-2 in 2022 and it would show that Tennessee's success last season wasn't a fluke.
The Vols, however, will have their sights set higher. Their goal will once again be to win the SEC and reach the playoff. Playing in the Citrus Bowl would be a bit of a letdown for a team with high expectations.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
