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Tennessee Football could be set up for a great 2020 season

By Colton Pickard

JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 02: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on in the first half of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers at TIAA Bank Field on January 2, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - JANUARY 02: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on in the first half of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers at TIAA Bank Field on January 2, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee football could be preparing for its best season under Jeremy Pruitt yet as long as current projections are accurate.

Tennessee football took a quick turn for the worst a few years ago after going 4-8 for the first time ever. Now, after hiring a new athletic director and head coach, Tennessee is back on the rise, and ESPN’s FPI is favoring the Vols going into 2020.

Tennessee hasn’t seen the top 25 since 2017, but under head coach Jeremy Pruitt, we’ve seen a lot of changes happening since he took over, and this is just another thing that Pruitt’s Vols are changing.

Tennessee ended the 2019 season as one of the hottest teams in college football. Maybe LSU was a little hotter, but Tennessee won seven of its final eight games after starting the season 1-4.

The quick mid-season turnaround was a shock for me, among many others, but it looks like some took notice. There has been some chatter from the national media about Tennessee having a breakout season this year, but it’s all speculation for now.

What isn’t speculation is the Vols’ ranking on ESPN’s new FPI rankings. ESPN released it’s 2020 preseason Football Power Index Top 25 rankings, and it’s so far so good for the Vols.

Tennessee had the fourth-largest jump in FPI rankings. The Vols jumped up 14 spots and currently sit at No. 19 in the new preseason FPI rankings. The teams that had bigger jumps than Tennessee are Florida State, Nebraska, and Virginia Tech; all are behind Tennessee in the rankings.

With the Vols being ranked 19th, they fall behind North Carolina, and in front of Minnesota, two other teams on the rise.

Tennessee is ranked seventh among SEC teams in the rankings. The teams in front of Tennessee are Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, Florida, LSU, and Auburn.

Even though Tennessee is only seventh in the SEC in these rankings, the fact that they’re 19th overall is really good, and it gives me hope for 2020 and beyond.

As long as the Vols don’t flop like they did at the beginning of the 2019 season, I have no doubt we could see the Vols potentially hit the 10-win mark. That’s not my expected win total, but I think if the Vols have the best season they possibly can, then ten wins isn’t off of the table.

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Tennessee could face some adversity this year, but it looks like the Football Power Index has high hopes for the Vols.

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