Tennessee Bowl Projections: Unlocking the 2025 Vols' Postseason Fate
The Tennessee football program is gearing up for the postseason, but the 2025 Vols' bowl game destiny remains a captivating enigma. After a home loss to in-state rival Vanderbilt, the Vols' postseason prospects seemed limited. However, the outcome of conference championship games could still influence their bowl destination. The SEC's bowl assignments will be unveiled on Sunday, adding an air of anticipation.
The latest projections reveal a narrowing of options, with Tennessee linked to ACC and Big Ten opponents. SEC rivals Texas and Vanderbilt find themselves on the outside looking in at the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) bracket. Alabama, just two spots above the cut line, faces a pivotal SEC Championship Game against its arch-rival. Missouri, another 8-4 team, completes the SEC's bowl-eligible quartet. With LSU as the sole other eligible SEC team, the league might not fill all its bowl slots if five SEC teams secure CFP spots.
Tennessee's bowl fate is a topic of intrigue, and here's a comprehensive breakdown of the latest projections:
- CBS Sports: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Illinois
- ESPN (Mark Schlabach): ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Iowa
- ESPN (Kyle Bonagura): Gator Bowl vs. Georgia Tech
- USA Today: Gator Bowl vs. Georgia Tech
- College Football News: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Iowa
- On3 (Brett McMurphy): Gator Bowl vs. Georgia Tech
- Athlon Sports: Gator Bowl vs. Miami
- Sports Illustrated: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Iowa
- The Athletic: Music City Bowl vs. Illinois
The SEC bowl selection process commences with the Citrus Bowl securing the first pick from non-CFP teams. The conference, schools, and bowls collaborate to fill the "SEC Bowl Pool," comprising six games: ReliaQuest (Tampa, Fla.), Gator (Jacksonville, Fla.), Texas (Houston), Music City (Nashville, Tenn.), Liberty (Memphis, Tenn.), and Duke’s Mayo (Charlotte). The Birmingham Bowl and Gasparilla Bowl then choose from any remaining SEC teams.
Among the nine projections this week, four predict the ReliaQuest Bowl and four the Gator Bowl. One intriguing projection places Tennessee closer to home in the Music City Bowl.
Georgia Tech emerges as a frequent projection, but the Vols' upcoming home-and-home series in Atlanta next season might make this pairing unlikely. Iowa and Illinois from the Big Ten also feature prominently, with Tennessee holding recent bowl history against both teams.
Miami is another potential opponent, but the Hurricanes' playoff aspirations hang in the balance, just a couple of spots below the cut line.
Tennessee boasts the seventh-most bowl appearances (56) and wins (30) in college football history. Their on-field postseason record stands at 31-26, including a CFP loss last season. However, a win against Indiana in the 2020 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl was vacated due to NCAA infractions involving former coach Jeremy Pruitt.
Under Head Coach Josh Heupel, Tennessee has a 2-1 bowl record. They lost the 2021 Music City Bowl to Purdue, but then secured victories over Clemson in the 2022 Orange Bowl and Iowa in the 2023 Citrus Bowl. The Vols' memorable CFP run last season culminated in a first-round loss to Ohio State.
As the SEC bowl assignments approach, the Vols' postseason journey unfolds, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the final verdict.
