With Week One of the 2023 college football season is in the books, ESPN has released their bowl projections after seeing every team in action.
Bowl season is forever away, but let’s take a look at what bowl game ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach project Tennessee will be in.
Their projections are below.
Kyle Bonagura:
Sunday, December 30: Chick Fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Tulane (New Year’s Six)
Bonagura projects Tennessee to play in a second consecutive New Year’s Six bowl game, as the Vols played against Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl last year.
If the projections holds true, it would also be Tulane’s second consecutive New Year Six Bowl appearance, as they beat USC in last year’s Cotton Bowl.
Another New Year’s Six appearance for Tennessee would mean the Vols likely won 10 games again, which would be a great success for Josh Heupel in year three.
Additionally, a 10-win season would mark the first time the Vols have had back-to-back 10-win seasons since 2003-2004.
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Mark Schlabach:
Monday, January 1: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Clemson
Schlabach has Tennessee missing the New Year’s Six and facing off in a bowl rematch against Clemson.
If Schlabach’s projection holds true, it means Tennessee likely won 8-9 regular season games. Last year’s ReliaQuest Bowl was between 8-4 Mississippi State and 8-4 Illinois.
As for Tennessee’s opponent, eight or nine wins may end up being a success for Clemson given their performance in Week One. The Tigers committed countless self-inflicted wounds and lost handedly to an unranked Duke team, 28-7.
Dating back to the end of last year when Clemson lost to South Carolina and Tennessee, the Tigers have lost three of their last four.
Based on how each team looked last weekend, Tennessee is far ahead of Clemson right now.
