Josh Heupel and the Tennessee football program are surely going to be looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 season. To put it simply, the main goal for Tennessee next year should be to return to the College Football Playoff.
The new nine-game SEC schedule looks to be an absolute gauntlet for the Vols. On the surface, Tennessee has a really difficult journey ahead of them, but it's not impossible for the Vols to make the playoffs. Many SEC teams have lots of question marks going into 2026, including Tennessee, so the conference is wide open.