Tennessee can win a national championship in 2024. Seriously.

While an NCAA title is certainly a long shot for the Vols, the College Football Playoff Committee’s decision to expand to 12 teams gives Tennessee at least a shooter’s chance of upsetting better teams. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has proven he’s not afraid to take some big shots, the type of shots that can result in upsets. That’s what UT needs against more established opponents until it can fully stock its roster.

The announcement that the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams is monstrous for any program that is trying to jump up in college football’s pecking order. Having 12 teams in the College Football Playoff gives any program with a strong foundation, a unique advantage and an impact player a chance to boost its exposure. Tennessee seems to have at least one and, probably, two of those criteria.

Here’s why the Vols can compete for a national championship as soon as 2024:

Solid Ground

Tennessee fans have been surprised before, but Heupel seems like a coach that genuinely likes Knoxville and could consider UT a destination job. So far, that would suit Tennessee’s athletic department just fine given how successful Heupel has been in his short time at UT.

Sure, we’ve all heard about Heupel’s connection to Oklahoma, where he played quarterback. However, there are some strained relationships residing in Norman. Heupel also seems like he’s a good enough coach to excel and keep the Tennessee job for awhile, unlike the three stooges that preceded him. Stability is obviously key if a program is going to come even close to competing for a championship.

Barring something unforeseen, Heupel should be at UT for the foreseeable future. After what the Vols have been through since 2009, they’ll take that.

Offensive Advantage

Heupel’s offense is what separates him from so many other coaches in college football. Tennessee’s tempo is faster than any program in the nation and the Vols’ offensive staff, led by Heupel, just seems to get receivers open over and over and over. There’s no reason to think that won’t continue.

The rules in college football are designed to give offenses an advantage over opposing defenses. Heupel is taking advantage of that and nothing is going to change. Football, at any level, has proven more marketable when more points are being scored.

Heupel is as well equipped as any offensive coach in the nation of keeping up the pace. That will attract top offensive prospects and likely result in an upset or two during Heupel’s tenure. In a one-loss elimination playoff, an upset can create madness.

Game Changer

The Vols should also benefit in 2024 from a quarterback that will be entering his second season at Tennessee. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.

Five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava from Warren High School in Downey, Calif., will enroll at Tennessee in January. As good as he might be, he’ll still be a freshman in 2023. Freshmen usually aren’t ready to compete for championships. However, Iamaleava should be hitting his stride just as the new college football playoff is being put into place, which will likely be in 2024. 

Some have compared Iamaleava’s decision to attend Tennessee as impactful as former quarterback Peyton Manning’s commitment almost 30 years ago. I have a different comparison. How about former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick?

Stay with me.

Vick – before he was known as the Don King of dog fighting – was a player that overcame more talented college football programs with his play-making ability. Vick carried Virginia Tech to a national championship game. The Hokies couldn’t even operate an elevator on Friday as its coaches were stuck somewhere between Level One and bad in a 20-17 upset loss to Old Dominion. The Hokies don’t lose that game with Vick in his prime even if they struggled with in-stadium transportation.

In order to overcome better rosters clad in red and crimson, Tennessee needs a generational player that can turn the tide – or the Bulldogs – in its favor. Iamaleava is expected to be that kind of player based on his recruiting resume.

Greg Biggins of 247 had no doubt that Iamaleava can have the kind of impact that can change the course of a program:

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Vols’ year?

The initial announcement about College Football Playoff expansion claimed that the new format will be implemented by 2026. However, most think that the college football powers will get everything in order by 2024. There’s too much money at stake to wait around for a couple of years.

No one is saying that Tennessee or any other Top 25 program is going to suddenly rise up and win a national championship as long as Alabama and Georgia are running the roost in the national title hunt. However, being in the conversation of making a College Football Playoff leads to being in more important conversations when it comes to recruiting elite prospects. 

Make a 12-team playoff? Tennessee can do that by 2024. Then, the Vols will at least have a shot.