1. Tennessee Volunteers
What? Tennessee? Overrated?
Yup, I’m really going there.
The Volunteers were exceptional under Hendon Hooker, whose rise to stardom came after passing for 385 yards in a 52-49 win over Alabama. When Hooker went down, Joe Milton III came in and helped Tennessee stay the course and finish 11-2 with an Orange Bowl victory over Clemson.
Hooker is off to the NFL, and Milton is back, with as much praise as any QB in the country. A lot of it is deserved. Milton was ready when his name got called and passed for 971 yards, 10 TDs, and 0 INTs. To come in relief and play that well is a testament to his preparation and how fluid the Vols’ offense is.
With that being said, the sixth-year senior still has a lot to prove. He’s primarily been a backup in his college football career, and going into his final year as the starter – where teams are game-planning for him, with more tape on him, can bring up more difficulties. I believe Milton is an above-average QB, but I’m not completely sold, given the circumstances of how everything happened last season.
Additionally, Milton won’t have the comfort of the same receiving corps as last season. Jalin Hyatt, the team’s number-one option in 2022, is now with the New York Giants. Cedric Tillman, who finished second on the team with 37 receptions, is also gone. That means Milton will have to but up numbers with a new set of starting receivers. That isn’t always easy.
The running game for Tennessee should make up for the losses in the receiving game. Over 2,000 rushing yards return for a Vols team that can seemingly do no wrong with the football in their hands.
Defense is the biggest key for UT. Last year’s team let up over 400 yards per game, and a potent UK offense should easily top that. Compare that to a UK defense that finished 12th in yards given up per game, which can help combat the Volunteers’ offense.
With this game being in Lexington, and Tennessee coming into the season a bit overrated, Kentucky football will have a chip on their shoulder in looking for the “upset.”