Tennessee heads into the postseason with a clear picture forming around its bowl destination. The Vols didn’t dominate the schedule wire to wire, but they handled the games they needed to and played their way into one of the SEC’s upper mid-tier slots.
Their resume puts them in the range where the conference’s top non–NY6 bowls make their selections, and the projections after Week 15 point almost unanimously to the same landing spot.
Most major outlets have Tennessee slotted for the Gator Bowl. It has become the steady projection over the past week, largely because of how the SEC’s selection order shakes out and where comparable teams finished.
The matchup would bring in an ACC opponent and give Tennessee a quality stage to close the season, one that fits neatly with how they’ve played down the stretch.
Other bowls, such as the ReliaQuest, sit in the conversation, but the Gator Bowl lines up with the current hierarchy and has held its place as the most realistic outcome.
USA TODAY’s Erick Smith updated his bowl projections after championship weekend and placed Tennessee in the Gator Bowl, pairing the Vols with No. 13 Miami. The matchup is slated for Dec. 27 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. EST on ABC.
A Gator Bowl appearance would offer Tennessee another chance to evaluate its core, sharpen its offensive identity, and continue developing young talent that saw the field this year. It also gives the staff momentum on the recruiting trail, where Tennessee has been working aggressively to secure playmakers who fit the system.
Josh Heupel on Signing Legend Bey
Tennessee added a major piece to that future with the signing of four-star quarterback Legend Bey. Josh Heupel sees Bey as a player who can affect the game in several ways.
His evaluation of Bey centers on his ability to create, the poise he has when he handles the ball, the confidence he shows throwing it, and the smooth athleticism that lets him slip into space and take over plays that break structure. On Wednesday, he spoke highly of the QB.
“He’s a guy that can be used in the return game, as well, so just a dynamic tool that we have the opportunity to add to the offensive arsenal. Kelsey (Pope), you know early on our personnel department researching him, and then Kelsey got a chance to watch him really early in the process,” Heupel said.
What pushed the recruitment over the line was how early the Vols got involved. The personnel department flagged him quickly, Kelsey Pope connected with him and his family, and Tennessee stayed consistent while other programs cycled in and out. That early groundwork paid off when the Vols closed the deal.
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