A favorable schedule could have a huge impact on what Tennessee Football does its first year with Nico Iamaleava at starting quarterback. Here is a ranking of all 12 regular season matchups on the Vols’ slate by how difficult they will be.

12. Kent State

Yes, the Golden Flashes are worse than even the FCS team the Vols will face this year. Kenni Burns may be the worst coach in college football. He went 1-11 his first season last year and wasn’t even within three scores in eight of his 11 losses. This is a bad team, and UT should sleepwalk its way to victory.

11. Chattanooga

Rusty Wright is 30-22 in five years with the Chattanooga Mocs and built them into a top 10 preseason FCS team. Tennessee Football struggled pretty severely with its FCS foe last year, and this team will be better. Okay, so it’s still an easy win, and it’s the season-opener, so the Vols will be pumped, but it’s tougher than Kent State.

10. UTEP

These bottom three schools are almost interchangeable, but even with a first-year head coach in Scotty Walden, unlike Kent State, the Miners have done enough to stay above an FCS foe. This game will be the next to last of the season for the Vols, so they will already know what positioning they are in. Heupel can coach this one with no pressure.

9. Vanderbilt

After UTEP is when Tennessee Football visits the Commodores. Do we really need to explain why the Vols won’t have any issue with Vandy to close out the year? Honestly, the only reason Clark Lea’s team is higher than the Miners is because they at least play the game in Nashville. Otherwise, it could be a toss-up.

8. Kentucky

Although the Wildcats should be much higher on this list, the Vols’ history of beating them no matter what comes into play. Add in the fact that they will be facing UK off a bye, when Heupel is basically unbeatable, and they get them at home, and it’s impossible to see UT struggling in this one at all.

7. Arkansas

Another team Tennessee Football faces off a bye, this time the Vols will be on the road. They visit the Arkansas Razorbacks for their first October matchup. Sam Pittman will have just faced the Auburn Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies and could be reeling, but the Hogs could be desperate. That may make this a tougher than expected matchup.

6. Florida

Billy Napier is another coach who could be a dead man walking by the time he faces the Vols. There’s a chance the Gators are 2-3 heading into this game, and if things go really south, they could be 1-4. Sure, it’s Florida, and they always win against Rocky Top, which is why they are No. 6 on here, but there’s no reason they should win, especially in Knoxville.

5. Mississippi State

This is the ultimate trap game of the year. The Bulldogs are led by a Heupel protege, Jeff Lebby, who may be the best offensive mind in the SEC as he enters his first year as head coach. MSU will likely take some teams by surprise. Meanwhile, Tennessee Football welcomes them a week before going to visit the Georgia Bulldogs. Watch out.

4. Oklahoma

I seriously considered having the Sooners below Mississippi State. If the Vols get past another game, which we are about to get to, they won’t have any problem lighting it up against OU on the road. They have better talent, and they have a better coach who wants nothing more than to get revenge on this program. This is UT’s breakout game with Nico Iamaleava.

3. N.C. State

Think of this as the 2024 version of UT vs. the Pittsburgh Panthers in 2022. It’s a neutral site game in Charlotte, not a road game, but the Wolfpack went 9-4 last year and finished No. 21. Dave Doeren’s team enters this year No. 22 in the Coaches Poll, and Tennessee Football will still be trying to come together to a degree at this moment. That makes them dangerous.

2. Alabama

Quarterback is the only reason to hesitate on Kalen DeBoer right now, as the Crimson Tide and Jalen Milroe just don’t seem like a fit for this system. However, DeBoer runs a very efficient offense, he’s a proven winner, and he’s loaded with talent. As a result, it’s still going to be Alabama when they travel to Knoxville in October.

1. Georgia

Was there any doubt? The Bulldogs are the most talented team Tennessee Football will face this year, and the Vols have to face them on the road. Of course UGA is their toughest opponent. Heupel still hasn’t had a team on Rocky Top look decent against Kirby Smart’s program. Right now, not getting blown out would be an improvement.