The Tennessee Volunteers football team made history last season by being part of the first 12-team College Football Playoff. That trip ended quickly, but many Vols fans hold out hope for a return trip this season.
That won’t be an easy task as coach Josh Heupel’s squad has replaced eight starters on an offense that averaged 35.7 points a game, the second highest in the Southeastern Conference, last season.
BetTennessee has developed odds on where the traditional SEC powerhouse will play this postseason as part of our Tennessee sports betting coverage.
| Bowl, Location | Conference Opponent | Odds | Pct. Chance |
| Citrus, Orlando, FL | Big Ten | +200 | 33% |
| Gator, Jacksonville, FL | ACC | +400 | 20% |
| CFP First Round, TBD | TBD | +400 | 20% |
| Duke’s Mayo | ACC | +650 | 13.3% |
| ReliaQuest Bowl, Tampa, FL | ACC or Big Ten | +900 | 10% |
| Field (Other or No Bowl) | +2600 | 3.7% |
These odds are for entertainment purposes only. You will not find them at any licensed Tennessee sports betting apps operator.
The Vols did what they needed to do on Saturday by handily beating East Tennessee State in Knoxville. Dispatching the Buccaneers, 72-17, did little to alter Tennessee’s bowl chances. But this week’s game certainly will.
The Georgia Bulldogs come to town in one of the few Week 3 matchups featuring teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. It’s also one of the rare instances when the Volunteers are home underdogs. DraftKings Tennessee Sportsbook listed Georgia as a 4.5-point favorite as of Monday.
A loss to the Bulldogs would hurt Tennessee’s chances for another CFP bid, but it wouldn’t derail them outright.
The Week 3 game could also affect the Heisman Trophy odds of Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar. He’s currently a longshot, but a standout performance could mean he enters the discussion for college football’s most prestigious award.
At bet365 Tennessee Sportsbook, the Vols have +6000 odds to win the national title, tied for 17th on the operator’s board.
Tennessee’s path to a second consecutive playoff berth is daunting but fairly straightforward. The Volunteers need to avoid any costly losses in its out-of-conference slate, like they did in the season opener against Syracuse in Atlanta.
Then it boils down to how successful they will be in SEC play.
Conference media members picked the Vols to finish ninth in the conference this season, but they might play above that ranking thanks to a rather friendly conference schedule. Tennessee Volunteers playoff chances should, on paper, get a boost from games against Arkansas, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Vanderbilt – the teams picked to finish at the bottom of the 16-team superconference. Going 4-0 in those games will be critical to the team’s chances.
The remaining four games pit Tennessee against Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma. Florida and Oklahoma should be close contests, while Georgia and Alabama are considered among the top picks to win the national title this season. If UT can manage a split in those games, the Vols will be in the CFP conversation. Go 3-1 or better, and at least an at-large berth should be a certainty.
But that is a lot easier said than done.
More Vols Football Odds
Year | Bowl | Result |
2024 | College Football Playoff – First Round | Loss, 42-17 at Ohio State |
2023 | Citrus Bowl | Win, 35-0 vs. Iowa |
2022 | Orange Bowl | Win, 31-14 vs. Clemson |
2021 | Music City Bowl | Loss, 48-45 vs. Purdue |
2019 | Gator Bowl | Win, 23-22 vs. Indiana |
As for Tennessee Volunteers national championship odds, various sportsbooks peg that number at somewhere between +4500 and +6000 as of Sept. 8.
USA Today photo by Bryan Lynn
For the current college football season, BetTennessee projects the Volunteers to play in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., against an ACC team. UT’s odds to make that bowl are +300 (25% chance).
Tennessee is currently not bowl eligible. The Vols will need to win at least six games to qualify for a bowl game. Oddsmakers at bet365 give Tennessee odds of +105 to win nine or more games this season.
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Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
