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On3's Brett McMurphy updates his Tennessee Football bowl projection

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey08/24/25GrantRamey
NCAA Football: Northwestern at Iowa
Oct 26, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Max Llewellyn (48) reacts after a safety against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Brett McMurphy’s final On3 bowl projections update entering the new college football season has Tennessee headed back to Tampa for the Reliaquest Bowl against Iowa. McMurphy’s previous projections had the Vols in Charlotte for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Duke.

Tennessee played in Tampa, in what was previously known as the Outback Bowl, on New Year’s Day 2007, losing to Penn State, and New Year’s 2008, a win over Wisconsin, and New Year’s 2016 in a win over Northwestern.

Tennessee beat Iowa 35-0 in the Citrus Bowl to end the 2023 season. The Vols are 3-1 against the Hawkeyes and have won the last three, with the series dating back to 1982.

McMurphy’s 12 College Football Playoff Teams are No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Penn State, No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Clemson, No. 6 Texas, No. 7 Oregon, No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Miami, No. 10 Michigan, No. 11 Utah and No. 12 Boise State.

He has Georgia beating Ohio State in the national championship game, with Penn State and Alabama also reaching the semifinals. He has Clemson, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon and Texas in the quarterfinals.

ESPN’s Bowl Projections has Vols in Citrus Bowl, Texas Bowl

The Vols open the season against Syracuse on Saturday in a Noon Eastern Time start on ABC in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

ESPN’s two preseason bowl projections have Tennessee going to the Citrus Bowl and The Texas Bowl. ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has the Vols in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan while Mark Schlabach has Tennessee in the Texas Bowl against Iowa State.

The Vols went 10-3 last season, making the College Football Playoff as a No. 9 seed in the first season with a 12-team field. Ohio State ended Tennessee’s season with a 42-17 win at Ohio Stadium last December, starting the Buckeyes on their run to the national championship. 

ESPN’s College Football Playoff Picks

Bonagura’s projected first-round matchups in the playoff are No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Georgia, No. 11 Miami at No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 10 Arizona State at No. 7 Alabama and No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Oregon.

His second-round matchups are No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 1 Texas, No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 4 Clemson, No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 2 Penn State and No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Ohio State.

His semifinals are No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Penn State, with No. 2 Clemson facing No. 1 Texas in the national championship game.

Schlabach’s projected first round is No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Ohio State, No. 11 Arizona State at No. 6 Alabama, No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 9 Miami at No. 8 Oregon.

Then in the second round it’s No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 1 Texas, No. 10 LSU vs. No. 2 Clemson, No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 3 Penn State and No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Ohio State.

His semifinals are No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 2 Clemson, then No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 1 Texas in the title game.

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