2024 Tennessee Football Schedule: A CLEAR PATH To The Playoffs

Intro [Music] the road to the college football playoffs could not be more clear for the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2024 season guys it's time to talk about it here on SEC unfiltered the best SEC entity on the internet hello everyone I'm Blan Gilmer thank you so much for tuning in we're excited to be talking about the Tennessee Volunteers today the 2024 season and going in depth on the schedule as we are just excitedly anxiously awaiting football the start to the season about to get into spring and all those good things so we just wanted to go ahead and do a deep dive go right into what this schedule is going to look like for the volunteers and exactly it's not just who you play sometimes it's who you play when you play them where you play them things like that and we also need to realize we are in a different era now in the 12 team playoff era but before we get into that guys let's go ahead and talk real quick here about the Chiefs and 49ers gearing up for the Super Bowl this weekend 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in to this schedule here for the Chattanooga Tennessee Volunteers game one we're going to go ahead and talk about the Chattanooga mocks they come in this will be a nice little warm-up home game August 31st for Nico Imam malava and that offense there for Tennessee as they can just kind of get some get some Rhythm get some uh excitement going over there get that adrenaline flowing and you know it'll be Nico's first start in in Rocky toop in neand stadium so I don't care who you're playing there's always some little extra juice going when that kind of thing happens so it'll be good just to be able to settle in got an experienced offensive line uh you know kind of in the interior but they do have to worry about the first start over there at the left tackle position for uh zance zance herd so you know we'll see how that goes if they have any they have any you know false starts anything like that just from just from being excited not from you know crowd noise because they're at home from just for being excited but this should be a difficulty level of I would say a 2.5 on the out of 10 and nothing nothing crazy here so the the SEC unfiltered difficulty at level 2.5 for that opening home game then you NC State have a neutral sight game the next week that they got a whole lot more interest in this offseason as Grayson McCall The Talented quarterback from Coastal Carolina that has worked plenty of magic over his time in college football has transferred to to NC State NC State under Dave doring looking for its first 10- win season under Dave doring it would only be the second 10- win season in program history for NC State they did that back in 2002 under Chuck Amato winning 11 games guys this is an NC NC State program it's been kind of there knocking knocking knocking making themselves right there in the top tier of the ACC but just haven't quite broke through yet uh Dave Dorne has a has a phys phical team has a well- coached team so that it won't be an easy task this game is in the Bank of America Stadium there in Charlotte so a technically neutral sight but really more of an away game for Tennessee so it'll test kind of the the maturity test the the playmaking abilties some of the people on the back end of that defense that are having to step up for a lot of the guys that that left the Tennessee defense in the off season um and you know as always will Tennessee against a Dave doring program and a physical you know NC State Defense will they be able to run the football early really help Nico iamal Ava uh help Chris Brazzle help Brew McCoy help all these guys that are kind of still getting their reps together as a unit will it help them be able to kind of work themselves into the game and and we all know that when Tennessee can run the football effectively then they are much much better in Josh hp's offense so that'll be a key there this is a game if you have playoff aspirations you got to win this one this is a data point that you gotta give the college football playoff committee uh because I don't think the Tennesse is gonna win the SEC outright okay but I do think they'll be right up there competing at the very very top and I do think that you have to go in here uh and you have to make a statement in this in this game a neutral sight game go in beat a good team in NC State State and show uh not only physicality show execution all those things so I think this is a huge game in week two for Tennessee difficulty Factor just because of some of the unknowns and things like that I'm going to give it a seven I think this is a this is a a tricky game this is a difficult game and this is an important game so I'm going to give it a sec unfiltered difficulty rating of seven out of 10 Kent State not a whole Kent State lot to talk about here Tennessee ought to take care of business and I think they will do so convincingly particularly coming back home uh and you know getting an opportunity to really have what they had on film against NC State fix any problems that they had uh capitalize on things that that hey this is after two games you start to learn hey here's here's kind of what we do good and here's here's some things we really need to lean into more so I would expect to see that in the third game uh against Kent State then September 21st Oklahoma you go on the road to Norman Oklahoma and face a Brent Venable coach team with a another team that has a talented young quarterback in Jackson Arnold kind of in the exact same boat as Nico im malava as Jackson Arnold started the bowl game he didn't have as much success in his bowl game as Nico did in Tennessee's bowl game but a guy out of Denton Texas that is absolutely electric played uh tremendously in his high school career there the highest classification I believe in in the state of Texas so when it comes down to it they've got a playmaker at quarterback they're well coached on defense they've brought in some some talented guys in the transfer portal like Dion Burks uh from Purdue who's an electrifying receiver added some pieces over there on defense to to fill in for some guy they got Danny stutzman coming back at linebacker uh who's basically the BOS reincarnated so it's going to be an interesting matchup I think Tennessee it's going to be I think Tennessee probably has more athleticism as a whole on their roster but I think you know going on the road first big road environment for Nico first big road environment for some of those guys in that secondary and some of the talented receivers that Oklahoma has you know the the Nick Anderson's uh of the world the andrel anon's of the world and we mentioned Deon Burke so it's going to be an intriguing matchup I think this is a difficulty rating of of eight 8.5 for sure I mean it it's a it's welcome to Big Boy ball to SEC ball right off the bat will be Oklahoma's first SEC game and Oklahoma will have no shortage of tough schedule themselves coming into this one as they play Houston and two lane in the games coming into this one so Oklahoma uh will have been tested as well I'm excited to see this matchup then you go into a byee Arkansas before Arkansas and you you you're on the road once again a tough one so you're on the road at Oklahoma by week then on the road in fville to take on the Arkansas Razer backs now here's the thing about Arkansas it's going to be tough to tell what kind of team that Arkansas has they got Bobby patrino coming in it'll all depend on how well tailon green assimilates to that offense that Bobby patrino has do they get better at the line of scrimmage we know that dwr is rocking when it's a place where they are good remember remember that environment a couple years ago when Texas came into Arkansas it can be absolutely electric when they're good the question is will they be good I think Tennessee has a better roster overall than Arkansas but when it comes down to it playing on the road in the SEC is difficult um and they do get that benefit of the bye to rest up before this game I would give it a difficulty of of a seven basically right on par there with with the NC State game and uh I think it's one that that Tennessee if they are who they think they are they should win this game uh but it'll be a great barometer uh and and again another great data point two if you could get in my opinion you have to get this one if you could get the Oklahoma one it would be icing on the cake but you got to get this one uh and the NC State one if you want any chance to get in the college football playoff going forward if you're Tennessee especially with an at large and have an opportunity maybe to host a playoff game game six at home they take Florida on the Florida Gators listen Tennessee Florida is always a it's always a heated rivalry it's always a back and forth matchup listen they went down to the swamp and got smacked okay just smacked by the Gators last year did Tennessee unexpectedly so Florida was awful um everybody thought that Tennessee would go in there and take care of business but they absolutely shut Tennessee down they made Tennessee uh you know Force Joe made Joe Milton force them things uh one bad interception in particular and then when you c talk about it you know they just ran the ball all over Tennessee last year I don't see that happening at all in nean stadium this year I think Tennessee will be out for Retribution I think they will keep the foot on the gas and I think they will beat uh the breaks off a Florida team that I don't think is going to it's going to be hard for Florida to win five games this year I mean I seriously if they if they were to go 500 if Florida were to go to 500 Heck if Florida were to win seven games and bil and nap's done an unbelievable job with that schedule that they have but I think Tennessee uh gets them right here October 12th and then now it will be a physical game that Florida game and it leads in to the third Saturday in October we talked about it when we broke down Alabama's schedule so thankful that the SEC has kept that tradition alive third Saturday October Alabama Tennessee playing each other you have this is the seventh game at home here for Tennessee on the year and guys once they are back home uh you know they they came came back home here on this October 12th one you're going to see home game after home game here on this schedule now for Tennessee and they're going to stack them up and again it couldn't get the bigger games it couldn't get any more opportunistic it couldn't be any better for Tennessee the way this schedule sets up you get a bye at a critical time in between two away games between Oklahoma and Arkansas there then you get Florida at home you get Alabama at home you get a run of home games here in the middle and playing Alabama and K deor and all that all that inside of nean Stadium here a a team that's going to be different this is not Nick sain Alabama team anymore we don't know exactly what we're going to have out of Alabama but we're going to get to see it back on September 28th when Tennessee has that bye they're going to be able to sit there and they're going to see Alabama and Georgia take on each other two teams that they will play uh on their schedule and they get the first one here on October 19th listen I think Tennessee will be primed and ready to go I think neand Stadium will be a rocking environment I'm going to say this one is a difficulty rating just because of listen it's still Alabama uh still of the most talented teams in the country I'm gonna say this is a difficult rating of 8.5 but I think Tennessee ought to feel really really good coming into this one about where they'll be program wise momentum wise um and then again how is Nico playing how is he operating this offense at the Midway point of the season so again exciting things to see the third Saturday in October is is always tremendous to watch the pageantry the Rivalry the tradition all that kind of stuff and it's going to be a new chap after in it as kin dor Alabama Crimson Tide head up to take on Josh hyp and Company on October 19th a tremendous match up one I'm really looking forward to then another home Kentucky game like I said home game home game home game home game four home games in a row here and Kentucky is the third one in that stretch November 2nd got a couple of days few days before election day here uh as Tennessee takes on the Wild chance of Kentucky listen uh they they've just had kuy's number here recently okay Tennessee takes care of business against Kentucky ky's gonna have Brock Vandergriff they're going to have a new offensive coordinator as Liam Cohen looks to head back to the the NFL so when it comes down to it uh still a little bit in flux there for Kentucky I like where Tennessee is roster wise right there with Kentucky now Kentucky went out and got some dudes in the transfer portal I mentioned Brock Vander Griff at quarterback jamor Macklin at receiver so they will have some weapons particularly on the offensive side of the ball but at nean Stadium Tennessee has just been able to really dominate this this little rivalry here between Tennessee and Kentucky I I would give it a difficulty rating of of a 6.5 uh just because they really have that mental Edge over Kentucky at this point and should be able to take care of business in that one Mississippi State listen Mississippi State Jeff lebby uh he brings some elements of what Josh hyp does so there will be some familiarity offensive style-wise and things of that nature they'll they'll kind of be looking into a mirror to a certain extent they don't do the the same amount of tempo that Josh hpel does but in terms of the the wide spreads the the the RPO um that you know spreading people out to run those Gap scheme runs things of that nature I think you'll see some of that out of Mississippi State uh and I think you'll see you know a Mississippi State at this point in the year year that's starting to you know maybe maybe Peter out a little bit get a little bit tired at this point in the year because of depth issues and things like that but November 9th not one you can take take lightly can never take a sec game for granted but this should not be a difficult one I'm giving a difficulty rating of 5.5 for this one for Tennessee as they ought to take care of business in the ninth game of the season at home after all that stretch run four home games in a row they have to go on the road to Sanford Stadium where Georgia is now selling beer in Sanford Stadium by the way so that that Stadium just got louder uh this year November 16th this is going to be a tremendous matchup as Georgia is by all accounts and everybody is ranking in preseason number one team in the country they're expected to to run the table they're expected to be the team that does everything and goes forward in the college football playoff being the one seed all of that good stuff well here's Tennessee's opportunity to have something to say about that particularly going on the road I think this is really the big piece for Josh hyp is to prove that he can go on the road and one of these big environments and win and and win a big football game uh like I said lost on the road to Florida last year he's lost when he's been been at Georgia in big atmosphere a couple years ago lost at Alabama so when it comes down to it I think Josh Hyo this is a really a checklist item for him in order for this program to move forward can hyp his staff his team now with Nico imal Ava quarterback uh got some experience there at the linebacker position and on the defensive front guys who can really disrupt the the timing of an offense things of that nature can they get it done and win a big road game a true test for Josh hyp at at his tenure at Tennessee and really what I think is kind of a Crossroads type year for Tennessee and this is a barometer game okay uh this is a game where you go up against the best in college football and you just gauge yourself and see okay where exactly are we and it could be a deal where hey if you got one loss coming into this and you're Tennessee uh one loss or less and you come into this game and you play Georgia toet totoe and regardless of the outcome this could be a strength strengthening point for your resume for the college football playoff particularly like I said if you only have one loss or less coming into this game so it's going to be intriguing it's going to be exciting as it always is uh a nice contrast in matchups between the way that hypo does things and Kirby does things so huge huge environment on November 16th between Georgia and Tennessee there in Sanford UTEP Stadium game of 11 they come back home and play UTP uh you know I I I think this is this is typical cupcake game they'll take care of business they'll put up a lot of points a lot of yards all that kind of stuff get some of young guys some play in time difficulty rating of you know two nothing major here and VANDERBILT then the same thing with with vanderbild it's an away game but it's really a home game because vanderbild is an embarrassment of an SEC program they have zero Pride their athletic director is an Absol abute joke she cares not about the the the Athletics there it's it's a absolute ridiculous ridiculous thing that they're a part of the SEC I think they should be kicked out of the SEC I have zero respect for Vanderbilt and I think Vanderbilt is kind of an Abomination to SEC football Tennessee ought to win and win comfortably they don't care listen Vanderbilt doesn't care about winning they don't try okay they don't they you have to do certain things you have to be able to allow certain things in your program and their academic standards over there make it impossible they don't they don't bend that at all for the football team to help them out uh people aren't excited about what's going on at Vanderbilt the the stadium rebuild that they did was an absolute joke and a mess to begin with so I think vanderbild is awful I think Tennessee ought to beat him into Oblivion uh as things get going here but Conclusion guys that is our game by game breakdown for ten see in the 2024 football season listen there's a road there's a path and I think if you finish that year with two losses or less then you will be firmly firmly considered for the college football playoff as an at large bid and and here's my thing about it if you only finish with two losses that means somewhere in that deal you're going to have beaten either Oklahoma on the road Alabama at home or Georgia on the road you'll have one of those games as a data point okay and then you'll you'll go back and you'll look at some of these other games like a uh I think Kentucky will end up being a decent data point on the road at Arkansas would be really really nice and a must-win I think those that NC State game the Arkansas game those are must- wins that you have to take care of Florida in Kentucky of course I think you got to take care of but I think this is a manageable schedule and you go look at some of the schedules around the SEC Tennessee has a real opportunity how much does how much time does it take for Nico IL malava and that offense to really get clicking if the ball game is any indication it won't take very long at all so guys thank you so much for tuning in remember presented by my bookie you can check out those details that we mentioned at the beginning of the video and uh thank you so much like subscribe turn on notifications for all of your SEC Sports Action more Tennessee football more college football from me right here on SEC unfiltered the best SEC entity on the internet follow me using B Gilmer 18 onx and we will catch you guys next time like I said to talk more more vs football and more college football here in the SEC God bless you and we'll talk to you [Music] soon