Under the leadership of head coach Josh Heupel, Tennessee seems to have turned a corner after a forgettable and scandal-laced tenure from Jeremy Pruitt.
The 2023 season won’t be such smooth sailing in having to replace talents like Darnell Wright, Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, and Byron Young, all of whom heard their names called within the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.
This is an experienced team, even if most of the starting lineup have yet to establish themselves. From the projected depth chart, all but one defensive starter is a senior, and eight offensive starters are also seniors.
The Vols should be favorites in all but two contests: at Alabama and vs Georgia. In addition, they have four coin-flip games at Florida, vs Texas A&M, at Kentucky, and at Missouri.
How they perform this year largely depends on senior QB Joe Milton’s ability to take control and run the offense. Now in his sixth season and after losing the starting job last year to Hooker, Milton needs to put his big arm to good use as he did in the Vols’ Orange Bowl win against Clemson last year.
Tennessee Betting Odds
Tennessee Futures Lines
Tennessee Preseason Lines
Tennessee odds used in this report are current as of Wednesday, July 19, at 4 p.m. ET, at DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook.
Tennessee: Win National Championship (+3000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0 Units
There are likely too many unknowns in Tennessee’s roster to confidently make this wager. While the Vols are certainly going to be one of the top teams in the SEC, the divide between the conference’s haves and have-nots is extreme.
Between Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright, Tennessee has two good, solid running backs. While replacing their leading receiver Hyatt is a tall task, the Vols return their next three leading receivers from last season: Bru McCoy, Ramel Keyton, and Squirrel White.
All of those pieces at Milton’s disposal could surprise opposing defenses in 2023 and challenge the status quo of today’s SEC royalty.
Tennessee: Win SEC Title (+1600)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 0 Units
The Vols scored 40 rushing touchdowns and 38 receiving touchdowns last year, and their 599 points scored led all of college football. Matching that pace won’t be easy.
Tennessee travels to Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, and Missouri this year. And hey, say what you will about Kentucky and Missouri, but both teams have formidable home-field advantages.
The concerns that UT may struggle with a down year are valid. Until we see more, you should avoid being too bullish on them challenging the best of the SEC.
Get more odds and bets to consider with our SEC futures coverage.
Joe Milton: Win Heisman Trophy (+2500)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 0 Units
To take it a step further, these odds aren’t long enough. Is Milton one of the 15 best players in college football right now?
Because that’s where FanDuel has him ranked among their Heisman Trophy odds. Milton is entering Year 6(!) with the Vols.
He couldn’t hold the bag in Michigan before transferring to join the Volunteers, and now in his third year in Tennessee, we’re still waiting to see what he can really do. There are better options to win the Heisman with better values available.
Tennessee Best Prop Bets
Tennessee Make College Football Playoff (+1300)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 0 Units
It is possible two SEC teams make the CFP. It is unlikely, though, that the Vols beat out Georgia, Alabama, and LSU to secure one of those spots.
Some of the Volunteers’ best players are on defense, like Jaylen McCollough, Aaron Beasley, and Tamarion McDonald. One way this team sneaks into the CFP is if their senior-laden defense can elevate itself and play at a level that can go toe-to-toe with Georgia and Alabama.
Tennessee to Win SEC East Division (+500)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0 Units
The only appeal here is the very long odds of a team besides Georgia or Tennessee winning the division. Basically, it’s one of the two, with the Bulldogs having a huge advantage — hence the (-500) odds for UGA to carry the SEC East.
That said, this wager could be a good pivot if you want to fade Georgia this year. There may not be much sense in that call; however, this would be a good entry point to hedge.
Tennessee: ALT UNDER 8.5 Wins (+160)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
Given their difficult schedule, it wouldn’t be too ridiculous to believe that the Vols go Under. Losses against Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and one more team puts them at eight wins.
Lofty expectations after one heckuva 2022 season aren’t without merit, and yet the Volunteers lost a lot of talent to the NFL Draft.
One wrinkle for optimism is that high-powered offense, which scores points in bunches. On the other hand, the Vols ranked 91st in total defense, allowing over 400 yards per game.
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