SEC Football: 3 teams with the most to prove during 2020 season
By Phil Poling
2. Tennessee Volunteers
SEC teams aren’t typically known for their tough non-conference schedules, and the cupcake walk to start the 2019 season crushed the Volunteers’ early-season hopes. They played Georgia State, Brigham Young, and Chattanooga to start the season, losing the first two games before finally notching a win against Chattanooga. This didn’t allow them much momentum heading into subsequent battles with No. 9 Florida and No. 3 Georgia.
But 2020 could prove to be very different for the Vols. Jeremy Pruitt is in his third season as head coach of Tennessee, and the recruits and transfers continue rolling in to Rocky Top.
The 2020 recruiting class was ranked 10th nationally (247sports), with former five-star offensive lineman Cade Mays joining them after transferring from Georgia; Maryland quarterback and four-star prospect Kasim Hill also transferred to Tennessee. Add those players to an already blossoming roster, and the Volunteers are primed for a strong upcoming campaign.
When looking at their non-conference schedule, there are opportunities for Tennessee to gear-up for conference play, but also a chance to make a statement.
The season-opener is against Charlotte, with the following game against Oklahoma — in Norman. A competitive game against the Sooners would earn the Volunteers some respect, but a win? A win could strike fear in the SEC East. Other non-conference games against Furman and Troy aren’t expected to be too tough, but with Alabama, Florida and Georgia on the slate, there’s a real opportunity for the Vols to make some noise.
They’re stuck replacing their top two receivers, their second-leading tackler, and their top sack and interception leaders from a season ago. None of that should scare Tennessee fans, though. Pruitt has constructed a strong roster during his tenure with skilled players and coaches alike that are hungry for success.