College football is set to go through some major changes in the next couple of years. 

NIL pay-for-play deals, the NCAA transfer portal window(s), conference realignment, the structure of the College Football Playoff, and lawsuits against the NCAA are all topics that will dominate the sport until the dust settles on this new era of college football. 

While those are hot topics right now, the main topics that we've become accustomed to discussing throughout the year — championship contenders, Heisman odds, and coaching changes — will continue to be discussed among die-hard college football fans. 

And when it comes to those topics, I have a few "bold" predictions for the Tennessee Vols, and a couple of other programs, that I definitely think are happening over the next five years. 

1. Tennessee will lose in the first round of the playoff in 2024, but win it all in 2025

The Vols will go 10-2 during the regular season in 2024 and make the College Football Playoff for the first time. But they'll lose in the first round of the playoff after playing on the road. Nico Iamaleava and James Pearce, after leading the nation in sacks, will split Heisman votes, so neither makes it to New York. In 2025, the Vols bounce back. They lose a regular-season game, but they take home the national championship after a memorable College Football Playoff run. After Pearce goes No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers (his hometown team) in the 2025 NFL Draft, Nico gets to New York and becomes Tennessee's first Heisman winner. 

2. Alex Golesh leads USF to the playoff and leaves for Penn State. USF hires Joey Halzle in response. 

Former Vols offensive coordinator Alex Golesh continues to build USF into a contender. They eventually reach the playoff, but they lose in the first round. After James Franklin leaves Penn State for the NFL, the Nittany Lions hire Golesh to run their program. Golesh, who went to college at Ohio State, becomes known as one of the hottest coaches in the sport. USF, after loving what they got from Golesh, hires Vols offensive coordinator Joey Halzle as their new head coach. That moves leads to Heupel bringing in an outside voice to help Tennessee's offense continue to evolve. 

3. Tim Banks gets a head coaching job at Central Michigan, paving the way for a superstar defensive coordinator to join Josh Heupel's staff

Tennessee's defense turns into a major strength in 2024 and 2025. After the Vols win the natty in 2025, Central Michigan hires Banks to serve as the program's new head coach, replacing Jim McElwain who resigns after another photo that appears to be him with a shark surfaces retires from college football. Banks was the defensive coordinator at Central Michigan from 2007 to 2009.

Banks' decision to leave for Central Michigan coincides with Oklahoma firing Brent Venables after he fails to make the playoff during his four years as a head coach. Heupel hires Venables to serve as Tennessee's new defensive coordinator (Venables coached alongside Heupel at Oklahoma for seven seasons and he was on staff when Heupel was a player). Speaking of Oklahoma, Heupel quickly reaffirms his commitment to Tennessee, shutting down any speculation that he might leave for Norman. The Sooners hire Jeff Lebby, who has found moderate success during his two seasons at Mississippi State. 

4. Alabama becomes mortal again under Kalen DeBoer, who gets fired, opening the door for Dabo Swinney

Kalen DeBoer gets fired after doing a decent job at Alabama. He makes the playoff in his second season, but then things trend south and he's fired after an 8-5 season that includes a loss in the Music City Bowl. Alabama makes the call and brings Dabo Swinney home. Swinney, who has grown tired of ungrateful Clemson fans, happily answers the call and returns to Tuscaloosa as the program's hopeful savior amid lower expectations than what DeBoer faced when he took over for Nick Saban. 

5. Billy Napier gets fired and Florida brings back….Urban Meyer

Napier does just enough in 2024 to surprisingly keep his job. But then the bottom falls out in 2025 and Napier is fired after the Gators lose to Florida A&M late in the season. Florida, running out of options as no one wants the job (except Lane Kiffin, who won't quit calling them), brings Urban Meyer back with the hope that he can recreate his magic from the mid 2000s. It's a Hail Mary for the Gators. 

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