Things have been going very well in Knoxville, Tenn., since Josh Heupel was named the head coach. Heupel is entering his fourth year, and in the last two years, he has led the Volunteers back into contention.

Tennessee has achieved a 20-6 record during this period and is feeling optimistic heading into the 2024 season. A major factor contributing to this optimism is redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who was ranked the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class.

Paul Finebaum told Berry Tramel of the Tulsa World that he really likes Tennessee in 2024 and believes the Volunteers are not receiving enough attention.

“I like a lot, and I think they’re one that probably aren’t getting a lot of love but could pull it off,” Finebaum said. “I think that they have the opportunity with Alabama at home to, not so much steal that game since they won it two years ago, but that could be a big game.”

Paul Finebaum believes that Tennessee will be on the cusp of making it to the College Football Playoff in 2024. He also expressed interest in a matchup between Tennessee and the Oklahoma Sooners, mainly because it would involve Heupel facing off against the team for which he won a national championship as a player.

That could create national intrigue and could be a crucial game for both teams in their quest to make the CFP at the end of the year.

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum sees high potential for the Tennessee Volunteers during this upcoming college football season.

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum sees high potential for the Tennessee Volunteers during this upcoming college football season.

The Tennessee Volunteers continue their march toward an important season for the program. The Vols have a real shot at the College Football Playoff field, centered around quarterback Nico Iamaleava and several key defensive returners. The team returns many impact players who have seen real success in the program for the past two years.

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Paul Finebaum Thinks Tennessee “Could Pull It Off” 

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum also sees potential in these 2024 Volunteers. During a recent interview he gave, Finebaum recognized their offseason efforts and identified Tennessee as one of the more underrated programs with an actual shot at the field. The Vols have three games on their schedule where they may not favored, but aside from those have a reasonable shot at many wins.

“I like a lot, and I think they’re one that probably isn’t getting a lot of love but could pull it off,” Finebaum told the Tulsa World’s Berry Tramel. “I think that they have the opportunity with Alabama at home to, not so much steal that game since they won it two years ago, but that could be a big game.”

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Tennessee picks up transfer portal commitment from Kennesaw State pitcher Tanner Franklin

Tennessee picked up their first transfer portal commitment on Tuesday afternoon, landing Kennesaw State transfer Tanner Franklin.

The right-handed pitcher is out of East Tennessee and hit the transfer portal on June 17th. Franklin stands in at 6-5, 240 pounds and has velocity that can near 100 mph. He chose the Volunteers over an offer from in-state rival Vanderbilt.

Franklin has two years of eligibility remaining. He went 4-1 last season with a 5.60 ERA. Franklin logged 27.1 innings as a sophomore, striking out 43 batters and walking 27. He was credited with five saves on the year.

Tennessee will lose Kirby Connell, Zander Sechrist and Chris Stamos this offseason, as each are out of eligibility. The Volunteers will also send Drew Beam to the MLB Draft, while AJ Causey and Aaron Combs will likely have decisions to make on starting their professional careers or returning to Knoxville.