The 2023 season will be the SEC's last season with traditional East/West divisions.

With Oklahoma and Texas joining the conference in 2024, it means the Tennessee Vols and the rest of the SEC will have much different-looking schedules starting in 2024.

While we don't know for sure which scheduling model the SEC will be moving to, the general feeling is that the conference will use a "3-6 model". That would mean three permanent opponents for Tennessee with the other six opponents rotating every other year.

With that in mind, here's how I think Tennessee's 2024 schedule could look.

(Most media outlets have predicted that the Vols' three permanent opponents will be Alabama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. So that's what we're rolling with in this prediction.)

Tennessee's predicted 2024 schedule

• Tennessee vs TBD non-conference opponent
• Tennessee vs Kent State (already scheduled)
• Tennessee vs Florida
• Tennessee @ Texas
• Tennessee @ Arkansas
• Tennessee vs Auburn
• Tennessee vs Alabama
• Tennessee @ Ole Miss
• Tennessee vs LSU
• Tennessee vs UTEP (already scheduled)
• Tennessee @ Vanderbilt
• Tennessee vs Kentucky

The Vols need one more game scheduled in 2024. With the SEC likely moving to a nine-game schedule, my assumption is that Tennessee won't have to schedule a Power-5 opponent for that game.

As for the other games, this certainly won't be an easy schedule for the Vols. But this is going to be life in the SEC moving forward.

If the Vols play this schedule in 2024, then it means their opponents in 2025 would be as follows:

• Oklahoma
• Georgia
• South Carolina
• Missouri
• Mississippi State
• Texas A&M

These opponents would essentially rotate every year, meaning the Vols would host every SEC team at least once every four years (and they'd visit every SEC stadium once every four years).

The SEC will be tempted to schedule Tennessee and Oklahoma in 2024, but because those two teams have played in the last decade, I think they'll pit the Vols against Texas first.

Tennessee and Texas haven't played since 1969 so it makes sense to go ahead and schedule a matchup between the two "UT" programs.

This scheduling format is going to lead to more exciting schedules (if it's what the SEC goes with), but it will also lead to tougher seasons for SEC programs.

Featured image via Alan Poizner / USA TODAY NETWORK