Acceptable win total for 2026

[VolCalls]

9

9 is the baseline.

 

[Alto1]

This is the goal, I imagine. But with this schedule and all the stuff going on with staff and players, I am guessing getting 6 wins will be a stretch. Sorry, just being truthful.

If that’s the case CJH’s behind will be on FIRE! Probably lose his job.

 

[Smokey#6]

5-7 prediction record
Heupal needs 9

 

[rocketskates]

I think we can get to 9 wins if Knowles is the real deal. Heck, even if his system “takes some time” to institute, he had Penn state at number 34 this season in his first year there. If we had the 34th ranked defense in the nation we probably would’ve finished 10-2 this year.

 

[UTFranklinVol]

In the UGA game we had chances to win that game. Shouldn’t have come down to kicking. You are looking at way to narrow minded.

"we had chances to win" yeah we had one really big chance to win and it was the easiest way to win above all the other ways we could have won.

 

[GetEmVols]

I have 0 clue, kind of giving up on this program. We won't be good again. We are going to be on Uncle Lou's "were back" list for all eternity because we don't play for Championships anymore.

We could really use another Neyland.

These kids are too soft to play for Neyland.

 

[UTFranklinVol]

Heupel needs a minimum of 9-3 for everything to stay on schedule and that the 2025 campaign was nothing more than a hiccup coupled with a spring distraction with the QB position. He's here through the 2027 season, but next year is about getting the program back to contending for the playoffs and off the bubble.

there's very little chance Tennessee loses only 3 games next year with a whole new defensive scheme and coaches and no settled QB problem. we may not even make it past the Bama game with less than 3 losses having to play GT at their place and then play Texas before we get to play Bama.

if we go 9-3 or better in 2026 and 2027 I would call it an absolute miracle and hand Heupel a new 10 year contract.

 

[Dansky]

I think it’s probably unrealistic to expect 10 wins with our schedule next year but it will be year 6 for Josh and that’s just how I see it. Anything less than 10 wins almost for sure means no playoffs and just unacceptable in year 6 especially after going 8–5 in 2025. Let me add, looking at our schedule 10 wins seems like a real stretch.

8

 

[VolInNW]

Cmon guys, Heupel needs more time to get his guys in here and really coach 'em up! 6 would be a solid year, 7 is OK and with 8 he should get COY.

You gotta be patient. Besides, who would we hire? Remember 2022? Do we forget that soon? Heupel has us on track and I for one am willing to give him 10-15 years to get us headed in the vicinity of the right direction.

Y'all are just impatient ingrates.

 

[KenSteph27]

There's a very real possibility that we lose to Georgia tech, Texas a&m, alabama, texas, lsu, vanderbilt. Then possibly we could also still lose to Auburn, at South carolina, at Arkansas. I personally think we will know after the Georgia tech game whether Josh heupel will be here or not in 2027.
If the wheels fall completely off we could lose eight games. The way we've been in the portal this year I've definitely think we're going to lose six at least.

I really hope I'm wrong but I think this JH last year.

 

[chad954ut]

7

 

[xpsyclonex2002]

Year 6, and we’re worried about if we’ll win 8 games? Yeah, we’re back.

Don't know if you've picked up on this twinkle toes, but the entire SEC is getting its a$$ waxed by the rest of the country right now. What we're experiencing is called parity. The nil era is allowing teams that would normally never be able to compete simply because they don't have the reputation to go out and buy quality players. Look at Indiana. Look at Miami. These are teams that were dead. Heck, Indiana was never even alive. The days of one team stocking up on five star players and then just running the table are through. Even Ohio State got sent packing early this year, so spending the most money isn't necessarily the answer. I think what we're all realizing now is that the portal is actually more important than high school recruiting. Handing a kid a couple of million bucks to sit on the bench and then transfer to another school is a stupid investment. Take that money and buy some unrecruited kid who has actually shown up in college football and made a name for himself on the field. Currently, our system of recruiting high school players is a lot like gambling. Nico was a prime example of that. Never played a down of football in the college level and getting paid multi-million dollars. Then underperform when they actually get on the college football field. Take a kid who didn't even get a sniff of a scholarship coming out of high school who goes to some some mid-tier school and sets the field on fire. hand that guy $2 million. Do that to almost every position on the field. Now you're in the hunt for a national championship.

 

[reecetn]

10+

 

[RockyTop140]

I think with all the defensive staff changes it wouldn’t really make a whole lot of sense to fire up the coaching search party unless the train completely falls off the tracks. I’d say anything under 7 is a train wreck. Allow Knowles a couple of seasons to implement the defense before making a drastic decision.

 

[Smokey#6]

9

 

[Go47]

As others have said . . . Hard to know with the portal. Assuming we don’t crash and burn with portal additions . . . But we also don’t end up with a top 5 portal class . . . I would say:

9-3 would be an excellent year - CJH needs to beat Vandy. 9-3 and a loss to Vandy will still put him on the hot seat. I think there is a 20% chance he goes 9-3.

8-4 is likely - I would put it at 50%.

7-5 - 20% chance.

6-6 - 10% chance.

So to sum up I think it’s 70% we go 7-5 or 8-4. I think the difference will likely be if we beat Vandy or not.

The Vegas over / under will be 7.5 wins.

 

[Rocky Top T]

there's very little chance Tennessee loses only 3 games next year with a whole new defensive scheme and coaches and no settled QB problem. we may not even make it past the Bama game with less than 3 losses having to play GT at their place and then play Texas before we get to play Bama.

if we go 9-3 or better in 2026 and 2027 I would call it an absolute miracle and hand Heupel a new 10 year contract.

Agree, 9-3 would be Very good season

 

[Delmar]

Not wanting to go to the playoffs because you might be embarrassed is loser talk. Far better than sitting on the couch at home in December or playing in the music city bowl again. You never know how things will go with matchups.

This isn't like the NFL or professional leagues where losing gets you a higher draft pick. The goal is always the playoffs, that's literally the only thing anyone is playing for.

Agree. Making the playoffs even if you lose in the first round is far better than not making it and getting stuck in the Vanish Toilet Puck Bowl against North Texas. Making the playoffs should be the goal every year. Even if it’s our mercenaries against their mercenaries and half of them won’t be there next year.

 

[Jax_Vol]

6

No experience at quarterback. Horrible defense. Extremely weak group. Impossible schedule.

Needs to hit the weight room.

 

[adam.vol]

I’ll accept anything more than 10 wins as a job well done.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Watching Indiana dominate, I just don’t know what Heupel is getting $9M per season for.

 

[ftsandersvol]

Don't know if you've picked up on this twinkle toes, but the entire SEC is getting its a$$ waxed by the rest of the country right now. What we're experiencing is called parity. The nil era is allowing teams that would normally never be able to compete simply because they don't have the reputation to go out and buy quality players. Look at Indiana. Look at Miami. These are teams that were dead. Heck, Indiana was never even alive. The days of one team stocking up on five star players and then just running the table are through. Even Ohio State got sent packing early this year, so spending the most money isn't necessarily the answer. I think what we're all realizing now is that the portal is actually more important than high school recruiting. Handing a kid a couple of million bucks to sit on the bench and then transfer to another school is a stupid investment. Take that money and buy some unrecruited kid who has actually shown up in college football and made a name for himself on the field. Currently, our system of recruiting high school players is a lot like gambling. Nico was a prime example of that. Never played a down of football in the college level and getting paid multi-million dollars. Then underperform when they actually get on the college football field. Take a kid who didn't even get a sniff of a scholarship coming out of high school who goes to some some mid-tier school and sets the field on fire. hand that guy $2 million. Do that to almost every position on the field. Now you're in the hunt for a national championship.

That is exactly the Indiana model. Production over potential.

 

[Volador]

Acceptable win total for 2026​

Anyone else tired of this same post, year after year after year?? Acceptable should be replaced, IMO, with HOPEFUL, for all we have is hope. It is not up to VN and the rest of UT fans to set an acceptable total, unless of course we are either Danny White or, sit on the Board of Trustees for the college.

I HOPE we can garner as many Wins as is humanly possible, especially with another whole new team and partially brand new coaching staff. SOSO.

Go Vols

 

[orangebloodgmc]

"Acceptable"? What does that even mean?

I am a fan of the Tennessee Vols. I enjoy watching college foorball, whatever happens. I expect to enjoy some spectacular plays along the way, on offense, defense, and special teams.

Go Vawls!!!

 

[orbs son]

We should at least get 8. Texas, A&M, Bama, and LSU aren't impossible either. 8-4 would be my guess though.