Tennessee

Can Tennessee football make playoff in 2024? Best-case scenario for the Vols

Published

1 year ago

August 27, 2024

Can Tennessee football make playoff in 2024? Best-case scenario for the Vols

Tennessee is only two years removed from touting a College Football Playoff caliber team, but it happened in the wrong format and the wrong season.

The 2022 Vols would’ve hosted Kansas State in a first-round playoff game if the bracket had already expanded to 12 teams.

So breaking into the CFP this season isn’t a pipe dream. It could happen, and here’s how.

Tennessee football’s best-case scenario in 2024?

Vols host College Football Playoff game

In a 12-team playoff, the four highest-ranked conference champions will get a first-round bye. The next four seeds will host the bottom four seeds in the first round.

UT could host a first-round game at Neyland Stadium by being the second-best or perhaps third-best team in the SEC. That would mean an 11-1 record and likely trip to the SEC title game or maybe a 10-2 record.

If the Vols beat NC State, split the Oklahoma and Alabama games and lose to Georgia, then a playoff bid likely would be in cards. Whether that meant a home game would depend on the resumes of other playoff teams.

TENNESSEE 2024 SEASON PREDICTIONS Game-by-game picks for Vols

Beat Alabama in Neyland Stadium again

UT had already shown that it could reverse the curse of Nick Saban when it beat Alabama in 2022, which triggered an unforgettable fan-storming at Neyland Stadium.

So why couldn’t the Vols defeat an Alabama team coached by Kalen DeBoer?

It could be quite the matchup in the third Saturday in October.

To that point, Alabama will be favored in every game except a home tilt against Georgia. So the Crimson Tide could be 5-1 or 6-0 and ranked in the top 10 when it travels to Knoxville.

That would make a win over Alabama that much sweeter for the Vols.

Double Heisman buzz, even for a short time

UT quarterback Nico Iamaleava has gotten preseason Heisman Trophy buzz despite starting only one game as a freshman last season.

And UT edge rusher James Pearce was ranked the No. 1 player in college football by ESPN.com.

Don’t pencil in either for the New York ceremony just yet. But there’s a plausible scenario where both players could earn Heisman consideration during the season, even for a short time.

If UT’s offense returns to its record-breaking production of 2021 and 2022, Iamaleava would rack up eye-popping stats. And although defensive players rarely get Heisman attention, Pearce could grab the spotlight temporarily with multiple sacks in UT’s key games.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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Tennessee

Tracking Music City Bowl opt outs for Tennessee and Illinois

Published

10 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Tracking the opt outs for both Tennessee and Illinois before the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:

Tennessee

Linebacker Arion Carter: Carter over the last seasons had 96 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 31 career games. He had a team-high 76 tackles this season, with 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while appearing in 10 games. He missed two games and was limited against Oklahoma in November while dealing with turf toe injuries. Carter had 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last season and 17 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in eight games as a freshman in 2023.

Wide Receiver Chris Brazzell II: He a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.

Cornerback Jermod McCoy: Did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.

Illinois

Offensive Tackle J.C. Davis: Bret Bielema said the Illinois starting left tackle is opting out of the Music City Bowl. He was an All-Big Ten First Team pick by the league coaches this season and the No. 3 left tackle this season according to Pro Football Focus grades. He had made 49 straight starts before opting out of the bowl game.

EDGE Gabe Jacas: The Illinois outside linebacker declared for the NFL Draft on Friday night. He led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice. Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois.

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Tennessee

More than 8,500 layoffs hit Tennessee in 2025, nearly 19% increase from 2024

Published

22 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

More than 8,500 layoffs hit Tennessee in 2025, nearly 19% increase from 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee employers laid off more than 8,500 workers in 2025 compared to 7,320 last year, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

This is about a 19% increase in layoffs, with WARN notices impacting 8,691 Tennesseans to date. As of 2023, 5,168 Tennessee workers were laid off through WARN notices.

Counties in Middle Tennessee impacted include:

Davidson
Sumner
Maury
Rutherford
Williamson
Wilson
Coffee
DeKalb
Bedford
Lawrence
Putnam

The largest layoff this year was in Maury County. Come January, 710 employees will be laid off from GM Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility. Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Michael Kofoed tells FOX 17 News that the facility is is likely impacted by the rise on steel tariffs ruled out by the Trump administration. He adds steel tariffs raise input costs for employers which directly impacts employees’ salary or employment.

The second largest layoff impacted 658 workers at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC in Rutherford County with 615 workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center permanently laid off. WARN notices are reports a company is required to file with the state to give workers time to find future employment.

Kofoed states that Tennessee is seeing a troubling trend, with layoffs skyrocketing since 2023.

“That is a very big and concerning number,” Kofoed said.

According to CNBC, more than 1.1 million U.S. employees were laid off this year, the highest 11-month total since 2020.

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Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is asking for donations after rescuing 11 animals Friday.

ARC said it was contacted by law enforcement in an unidentified rural Tennessee area to rescue five dogs and six cats in what the nonprofit is calling “Operation Cold Snap.”

In the rescue, the nonprofit took in two emaciated Great Danes, three Pit Bulls and six cats. ARC said some of the animals are emaciated and suffering from untreated bite wounds and infections.

The nonprofit said the animals were kept without heat or regular care.

ARC shared a video of the rescue. In it, you can see the property s in disarray with trash littering the floor and overturned furniture.

This rescue comes just days before Middle Tennessee is expected to see its coldest temperatures of the season.

Now, ARC is asking for donations to help the 11 animals rescued Operation Cold Snap. Those interested in donating can do so on the nonprofit’s website.

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