There is plenty of reason to be excited about Tennessee’s football team. After two one-sided wins, the Vols might have exceeded many fans’ preseason expectations. If only college football was that simple.
Tennessee’s two wins against Chattanooga and North Carolina State by a combined score of 120-13 certainly doesn’t mean the Vols are destined to win a national championship. So we’ll see what the experts think in just a moment. First, let’s lay the table of reality.
The Mocs were a Division-II opponent that was woefully overmatched. Meanwhile, no one really knows just how good the Wolfpack actually is this season, despite being ranked No. 24 before the Vols pounded the howl out of them. Tennessee’s coaching staff also outfoxed N.C. State from the opening kickoff with a two-tight end set that easily corralled the Wolfpack’s 3-3 defense. Athletically, North Carolina State was also overmatched, which should make fans optimistic that the Vols are for real this year.
Here is what the Off The Hook Sports staff and contributors had to say about the Vols’ fast start this season against questionable competition and how it has affected preseason predictions – if at all.
Caleb Calhoun
“Nope. I had them going 11-1 before. I’m more sure they’ll go 11-1”
Dave Hooker
“I had Tennessee at 10-2 before the season and felt really confident in that. However, I’m now leaning towards 11-1 in the regular season and possibly 12-0. I think this team has the maturity and drive to play their best most every Saturday. When and if they don’t, they can still win most of the games on their schedule.”
Jimmy Hyams
“Yes, I picked Tennessee to win nine games, leaning towards 10. Now, I’m at 10 because this defense is better than I anticipated.”
Stacy Oliver
“I’m sticking with the Vols going 10-2. I was confident in Nico before the season began, but I had to see what he could do, and these first two games were so impressive. Alabama and Georgia might be the only challenges this team faces during the regular season.”
VFL Spencer Riley
“I think 10 wins is very doable for them this year.”
Will West
“I have. I think Tennessee goes 10-2 now and I had predicted 9-3. The quality of the defensive depth is much better than I thought it would be. Oklahoma is also not as good as I thought they would be as well. Frankly, I think 11-1 is more likely that 9-3 given Alabama’s injury issues on the offensive line.”
