Tennessee
Industry Expert Projects Tennessee to Land in the College Football Playoffs | Rocky Top Insider
With an expanded path to reach the college football playoffs in 2024, teams around the country are vying for one of the additional eight spots in the lead-in to the tournament in December.
The four-team playoff was engrained in college football for ten years but will shift to a bigger field starting in 2024. In addition to all of the conference realignment taking place this summer, there are a number of reasons why the 2024 season will be historic before it even begins.
The top five conference champions will automatically qualify for the tournament while the top four conference champions receive a bye in the first round. The 5th through 8th ranked teams will host their first-round matchup while teams 9-12 will be on the road.
More from RTI: The Full 2024 College Football Playoffs Schedule is Officially Set
Tennessee projects as a team that will be riding the line of the College Football Playoffs cut throughout the season.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd have Tennessee at No. 15 and No. 16, respectively, while ESPN’s Football Power Index rankings has Tennessee at No. 9. Bill Connelly’s analytical SP+ rankings for ESPN have Tennessee as the No. 16 team in the country.
All four metrics give a combined projection range of a final playoff team to one of the first teams to miss the cut. And all of that is to say that Tennessee projects as pretty much a collective Top 15 team.
On3 Sports’ Andy Staples is high on the Vols, though. In Staples’ post-spring Top 12 power rankings, the On3 expert has Tennessee listed as the No. 11 team on his list. The Vols land as the fifth and final team from the SEC in his rankings behind No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Alabama, No. 5 Texas, and No. 9 Ole Miss.
Because of the playoff formatting, though, the direct move to the playoff picture isn’t a one-to-one translation from the rankings for most. Despite being the No. 3 team in his rankings, the Tide are the 5-seed in the tournament as the top at-large team with Georgia projected to win the conference. Georgia stays as the 2-seed, Texas bumps to the 7-seed, Ole Miss bumps to the 10-seed, and Tennessee stays as the 11-seed.
As shown in the graphic below, 11-seed Tennessee would take on 6-seed Oregon in Staples’ hypothetical playoff bracket. A trip to Autzen Stadium for the playoffs around the holidays would certainly be a bucket-list destination for many in the Tennessee fanbase.
As a hypothetical winner, the Vols would then take on projected ACC champion Florida State in the quarterfinals and wouldn’t see an SEC team until a semi-final matchup against Georgia, Texas, or Ole Miss. The entire top-right quadrant of Staples’ bracket is SEC, interestingly.
NEW: Preseason College Football Playoff Projected 12-Team Field via @Andy_Staples🏆
Do you agree? ⬇️https://t.co/e69ZNkOYaG pic.twitter.com/GBsFTrY4KH
— On3 (@On3sports) June 11, 2024
More from RTI: Recruiting Expert Gives Tennessee An Optimistic Report for Elite Prospect
Josh Heupel’s fourth Tennessee team is an interesting one composed of new and returning players, with some having the opportunity to step up into a bigger role for the first time in their careers.
The two leading names for Tennessee this season will be quarterback Nico Iamaleava and defensive lineman James Pearce Jr.
Iamaleava, a former top-overall recruit from the 2023 class, sat and learned behind Joe Milton III during his freshman season, taking notes from Milton’s role behind Hendon Hooker the year before. The Vols’ historically highly-rated recruit soaked up quite a bit of media attention for a backup quarterback last season but handled his role with class. Iamaleava got his opportunity to lead Tennessee’s offense as the starter during the Citrus Bowl last season, where he accounted for four total touchdowns (three rushing, one passing) en route to a 35-0 victory over No. 24 Iowa.
Iamaleava will now step into the full-time starting role for Tennessee with the keys to Josh Heupel’s offense. The second-year quarterback has drawn praise for his talent and ability on the field this spring and welcomed the challenge of becoming more of a vocal leader now that he is stepping up as the starter. Iamaleava projects to have a Heisman-level ceiling during his career, and the Vols’ coaching staff is looking to push him to success in 2024.
Pearce, on the other hand, returns to Tennessee as the Vols’ top breakout star from the entire 2023 season. The rising junior EDGE rusher was terrific for Tennessee last season with 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, even recording a pick-six during the Citrus Bowl victory.
Pearce was an All-SEC First Team selection in 2023 from the AP and the coaches and was named a preseason 2024 All-SEC First Team selection from Athlon Sports recently. The 6-foot-5 defensive lineman also garnered significant buzz this offseason in way-too-early 2025 NFL Draft projections as a contender for the No. 1 overall pick.
Pearce will be a key for Tim Banks’ defense this season in shortening a quarterback’s time with the ball, especially considering Tennessee’s turnover in the secondary this offseason and an adjustment period that will likely take place early in the season.
A trip to the playoffs would rely on impressive play from Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee’s high-tempo offense, which is strengthened by a returning veteran offensive line. But it would also rely on Tennessee’s defense to continue its improvement despite multiple new defensive backs and a linebacker core that is returning from previous season-ending injuries.
Tennessee will kick off its quest for the playoffs with a game against Chattanooga on Aug. 31 in Neyland Stadium at 12:45 p.m. ET.
Tennessee football star Jermod McCoy is the player who will likely hear his name called first from the Tennessee program in the upcoming NFL Draft. There are many teams he would fit well, but these three teams are the teams I believe he is the best fit with at this moment.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a cornerback in the draft class, and they are likely to spend one of their first two picks on one. They are selecting at No. 12 and No. 20 in the draft as of now, and McCoy could hear his name called. He would be joining a decent group of cornerbacks, but he would be an immediate starter, likely alongside a later selection that they make with a cornerback.
It would be shocking if the Cowboys pass on him if they select at 12 and he is still on the board. McCoy would be an immediate starter and would be someone who could shut down a whole side of the field for the Cowboys early in his career.
2. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins is one of the better fits for Jermod McCoy, and it would make the most sense, as the Dolphins could use almost every position after a major haul of their players. They are in a major rebuilding phase and drafting at No. 11 leaves many to believe that McCoy could be in play.
McCoy would likely be their No. 1 cornerbakc the day he got to the franchise, and would have the chance to dominate the way he did in his one season on the field with the Vols. This selection would depend on who drops out of the first ten selections. If he is one of the better players remaining (highly likely) he very well could hear his name called at pick 11.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have the chance to be very good when it comes to the draft, as they are drafting at both No. 2 and No. 16. I believe they will be looking to get a cornerback with their No. 16 pick, which would make a lot of sense considering they had to get rid of Sauce Gardner.
McCoy would be the perfect replacement, as they could find themselves in one of the better situations on the defensive side of the football. He can shutdown a side of the field, and I would bet that he would be a great fit with the Jets because of that exactly.
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Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
Tennessee baseball will look to salvage the final game of the SEC series against Ole Miss.
The Vols (25-14, 7-10 SEC) play Game against the No. 23 Rebels (29-11, 10-7) on April 19 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Ole Miss has been on a roll. The 8-1 win on April 18 against the Vols moved the Rebels to eight straight wins. It got an ace-level start from Cade Townsend and a grand slam from Tristan Bissetta to secure Game 2.
Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA) will start for the Rebels. Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA) will be on the mound for Tennessee.
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss live updates
What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss on today?
- TV channel: SEC Network+
- Live stream: ESPN app
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss game times
- Game 3: April 19 (1 p.m. ET)
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss probable pitchers
- Tennessee: LHP Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA)
- Ole Miss: RHP Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA)
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