Tennessee releases game times for first three games of 2022 season
It’s almost time for the 2022 college football season. With 100 days to go until kickoff, Tennessee announced game times for its first three games of the year.
Tennessee starts the year against Ball State Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Then, in Week 2, the Volunteers take on Pittsburgh Sept. 10 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC at Heinz Field — home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Week 3, Tennessee will face Akron Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET on either ESPN+ or SEC Network+.
The rest of the schedule — including the SEC portion — will be announced during the season, according to a press release from Tennessee Athletics.
The Volunteers are getting ready for Josh Heupel’s second year at the helm after a 7-6 record in 2021, including a 4-4 mark in SEC play.
Las Vegas puts Tennessee win total odds at 7.5 entering 2022 season
Finishing third in the SEC East last season, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel put the conference on alert. By putting up 474 yards of offense per game and 39.3 points, second only to Alabama, the Vols showed they’re getting things going and the oddsmakers in Las Vegas took note. Although not quite in the upper echelon yet, Tennessee has a win total of 7.5 games for 2022, according to Vegas Insider’s latest odds.
One major factor that held the Vols back in 2021 was the defense. They ranked last in the SEC in pass defense, allowing 273.2 yards per game. The defense came up with an impressive 13 interceptions but allowed 7.3 yards per attempt, which was 11th in the conference.
Heupel and his crew open the season versus Ball State before traveling to Pittsburgh to face the Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison-less Panthers. They welcome Akron to Knoxville before opening SEC play at home versus Florida.
The Vols then take on their SEC crossover opponents in LSU and Alabama and host UT Martin before finishing off the rest of the East. The difference between Tennessee covering the Vegas total could be the penultimate game of the season. They travel to play South Carolina, which is a big wildcard in the 2022 season.