Tennessee opens as big favorite in 2023 season opener against Virginia
Tennessee on Wednesday opened as a four-touchdown favorite in its season-opening neutral-site game against Virginia on September 2 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. BetOnline released Week Zero and Week One lines, making the Vols a 28-point favorite over the Cavaliers.
Virginia finished 3-7 in Year 1 under head coach Tony Elliott, the former Clemson defensive coordinator.
ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Cavaliers ranked 72nd nationally — Tennessee came in at No. 12 in the FPI — and projects Virginia to go 5-7 this season.
Tennessee and Virginia have played four times dating back to 1927. The Vols won 23-22 in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Years Day 1991. Virginia won 16-13 in Knoxville on November 1, 1980 and Tennessee won 41-14 at home on November 16, 1940 and 42-0 on October 29, 1927, also in Knoxville.
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.
Tennessee opens season September 2 vs. Virginia in Nashville
After the neutral-site season opener against Virginia September 2 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, the Vols open the home schedule at Neyland Stadium on September 9 against Austin Peay and go on the road to open the SEC schedule at Florida on September 16.
Tennessee hosts UTSA on September 30 and opens its SEC home schedule against South Carolina on September 30. Texas A&M comes to Knoxville on October 14 and the Vols play back-to-back road games at Alabama on October 21 and Kentucky on October 28.
The Vols play UConn at home on November 4, go to Missouri on November 11 and host Georgia on November 18, before closing the regular-season schedule against Vanderbilt on November 25. Virginia is ranked No. 83 in the FPI and UConn is No. 120.
