The official end to Tennessee football’s 2022 season was a sweet one. The Volunteers notched 11 wins with an Orange Bowl victory over the Clemson Tigers, in what clearly qualifies as an upset. Despite missing a Heisman candidate quarterback and their Biletnikoff winning wide receiver, Tennessee went ahead and wrangled the Tigers for a 31-14 victory.
Wins over all of your major rivals? Check.
The most successful season in 21 years? Check.
Confidence in the future? Check.
After a season like this, it’s fair to wonder how repeatable it was. Plenty of programs have “Cinderella” teams who failed to live up to expectations in the ensuing seasons.