What we know so far about Tennessee football's 2023 schedule
Tennessee football announced a third kickoff time on Tuesday, with the September 9 home opener against Austin Peay set for a 5 p.m. Eastern Time start. The game can be seen through online live-streams through ESPN+ or SEC Network+.
The Vols now have kickoff times set for their first three games of the season. The September 2 season opener against Virginia will be a Noon Eastern Time (11 a.m. CT) start at Nissan Stadium in Nashville and will be televised by ABC. Tennessee’s SEC opener at Florida on September 16 will be a 7 p.m. Eastern Time start on ESPN.
Start times and TV information for Tennessee’s other nine games on schedule have not yet been announced.
The Vols host UTSA on September 23 and open the SEC home schedule against South Carolina on September 30. Texas A&M comes to Knoxville on October 14 and Tennessee plays back-to-back road games at Alabama on October 21 and Kentucky on October 28.
Tennessee plays UConn for Homecoming at Neyland Stadium on November 4, goes to Missouri on November 11 and hosts Georgia on November 18, before closing the regular-season schedule at home against Vanderbilt on November 25.
Vegas sets Tennessee’s odds to win SEC, SEC East
Tennessee has the fourth best odds to win the Southeastern Conference this season, according to odds released by BetOnline in June. The Vols, at +1400 are behind Georgia (+100), Alabama (+200) and LSU (+525).
Texas A&M (+1400) has the same odds as Tennessee. Behind the Vols and Aggies are Ole Miss (+3300) and Auburn (+6600). Florida and Mississippi State have matching odds (+7500). Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and South Carolina are all +8000 and Vanderbilt is last at +10000.
BetOnline has 5/1 odds (+750) to win the SEC East. Georgia is the overwhelming favorite, at 2/15 (-750). Florida and South Carolina have matching 33/1 (+3300) odds to win the SEC East. Kentucky is 40/1 (+4000), Missouri is 50/1 (+5000) and Vanderbilt is 300/1 (+30000).
ESPN’s FPI projects Vols to go 8-4 this season
ESPN’s FPI predicts Tennessee will go 8-4 in 2023 — the projected win-loss record is 8.2-3.9 —and gives the Vols a 98.1 percent chance to win at least six games. They have a 5.4 percent chance to win the SEC East, a 1.2 percent chance to win the SEC and a 2.5 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff. There’s an 0.7 percent chance to make the national championship game and an 0.2 percent chance to win the title.
Ohio State is No. 1 in the FPI, ahead of No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 LSU and No. 5 Texas. Michigan is No. 6, followed by No. 7 USC, No. 8 Clemson, No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 10 Penn State and No. 11 Oklahoma.
Ole Miss is No. 16, Florida is No. 18 and Texas A&M is 19. Kentucky is No. 28, Arkansas is No. 30 and Mississippi State is No. 32. Auburn is No. 39, one spot ahead of No. 40 Missouri. South Carolina is No. 42 and Vanderbilt is No. 73. Virginia is ranked No. 83 in the FPI and UConn is No. 120.
