Tennessee football is less than two weeks away from the start of fall practice and less than six weeks away from opening up its 2023 season against Virginia in Nashville.
The Vols’ 2023 schedule includes out of conference matchups with Virginia and Texas-San Antonio and a home SEC matchup against Texas A&M.
It’s a challenging but manageable schedule for Josh Heupel’s third Tennessee team. Let’s rank Tennessee’s schedule from least important to most important game.
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12. Austin Peay
Tennessee’s lone matchup against an FCS foe, its an obvious candidate for the last spot on this list. The Vols should easily take care of business in their week two matchup at Neyland Stadium.
11. Connecticut
Jim Mora brings his second UConn team in Neyland Stadium the first Saturday in November. The Huskies were far improved in Mora’s first season but they’re still far away from being competitive against strong SEC foes.
The matchup falls the week between matchups with Kentucky and Missouri and is homecoming. Tennessee should have no problem taking care of business and recharging before the home stretch of the season.
10. Virginia
Tennessee’s season opener against Virginia should be its easiest “premier” out of conference matchup in years. The Cavaliers are coming off a 3-7 season and are replacing their starting quarterback.
The Vols are four-touchdown favorites against its ACC foe and should take care of business at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
9. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt took a major step forward in Clark Lea’s second season as head coach last year. Still, Tennessee beat the Commodores 56-0 while running the ball virtually ever play.
If Vanderbilt takes another sizable step forward this game could move up a spot or two up the list, but the Commodores program is still light years behind Tennessee’s ad the regular season finale is in Nashville.
8. UTSA
UTSA has spent most of the last two seasons in the top 25 and returns veteran quarterback Frank Harris. The Road Runners have an offense that will test Tennessee’s defense and put pressure on UT to be ready to play.
The matchup at Neyland Stadium also falls in a trap spot for Tennessee. The Vols are coming off their SEC opener at Florida and face South Carolina the following week.
7. Missouri
There’s been some buzz this offseason about Missouri being much improved in Eliah Drinkwitz fourth season. If that proves true this game would move up the list since it’s a November matchup in Columbia.
But I’m not buying the hype for now. Brady Cook is Missouri’s starter again and has been average to date in his career. Tennessee has lost to very few average quarterbacks in Josh Heupel’s two years.
6. South Carolina
Tennessee will have revenge on its mind when South Carolina comes to Neyland Stadium the final week in September. The Gamecocks are hard to figure out entering the season. They lost some of their top players, particularly on offense, to the transfer portal.
However, they should still be strong defensively. The question is what Spence Rattler shows up. The former Oklahoma quarterback was fantastic against Tennessee and Clemson last season and average at best the rest of the season.
If Rattler lives up to his potential this will be an extremely difficult matchup. If not, Tennessee should take care of business and get revenge for last season.
5. Texas A&M
Texas A&M is as talented as any opponent on Tennessee’s schedule besides Alabama and Georgia. But what will the offense look like with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. The Aggies were dreadful on offense a season ago and has to make radical improvement with a new offensive coordinator and quarterback (Connor Weigmen).
Tennessee faces the Aggies coming off the bye week and Josh Heupel’s teams are 7-1 coming off open dates. Texas A&M is coming off three straight SEC games against Auburn, Arkansas and Alabama. The Aggies are talented but the schedule makes it a good spot for Tennessee.
4. Kentucky
If the Texas A&M game is at a good spot for Tennessee, the Kentucky game is at a bad spot. The Wildcats will be coming off their bye while Tennessee is coming off three straight SEC games against South Carolina, Texas A&M and Alabama.
I also expect Kentucky to be much improved with a revamped offensive line, Liam Coen back at offensive coordinator and NCST transfer QB Devin Leary. With the game in Lexington, this is the most challenging game on Tennessee’s schedule besides Alabama and Georgia.
3. Alabama
Tennessee heads to Tuscaloosa looking for back-to-back wins over the Crimson Tide for the first time since 2003-04. There’s two trains of though on Alabama. They don’t have the offensive star power they’ve had in recent years and aren’t strong at quarterback.
But Alabama has an unbelievable amount of talent on its roster and is going to go back to playing bully ball. Still, Tennessee has a real chance to get its first win in Tuscaloosa since 2003. It would further send shockwaves in the SEC and the Third Saturday in October rivalry.
2. Florida
Florida isn’t the second hardest game on Tennessee’s schedule but it’s certainly the second most important. The Vols’ first real test of the season comes in Gainesville, a place Tennessee hasn’t won since 2003, in mid September.
Tennessee is the superior team and should win but that’s no guarantee in football and in this rivalry in general. If the Vols win, it can springboard them into a second straight great season. If they lose, it completely changes the dynamic of the season and puts Tennessee in a hole to start.
1. Georgia
Everyone is chasing the two-time defending National Champions. Georgia humbled Tennessee a season ago in Athens and remains the top dog in the SEC and country as a whole. If the Vols are going to get where they want to be as a program they have to clear the Georgia hurdle.
Can they do it in Neyland Stadium this fall? The matchup could be for the SEC East again if the Vols enter the Nov. 18 matchup with one or zero conference losses.
