2011 Tennessee Volunteers Football Predictions, Odds, Picks and Schedule – 2011 Tennessee NCAA Football Preview

2011 Tennessee Volunteers College Football Expert Predictions, Picks, Vegas Odds and Schedule – Tennessee NCAA Football Preview: When Phil Fullmer was running the show for the Volunteers, the Tennessee program was one of the best in the nation. Fullmer and company won the 1998 national title and were seemingly in the mix on a yearly basis. However, Fullmer was sent packing after a few bad years, and the Volunteers ended up with a train wreck known as Lane Kiffin. Kiffin gave way to Derek Dooley, and after a bowl appearance in his first season at the helm, Dooley will look to get even more out of his young Volunteers in 2010-11.

After the offense stumbled out of the gate last year, Tennessee rallied to average more than 25 points per game thanks to the play of freshman quarterback Tyler Bray. He went 4-1 once being inserted, finishing the year with nearly 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. Not to mention the fact that Bray topped 300 yards in three of his five starts, and his only loss came in double overtime to North Carolina.

The bad news for Bray is that only Justin Harper returns from last year’s receiving core. That being said, Harper was an excellent deep threat, grabbing seven touchdowns on just 16 receptions. In addition, the Volunteers welcome in two of the top receiving recruits in the nation that should step in and start from day one. Despite the inexperience, Bray and company should continue to put on a show through the air in 2011-12.

Bray should get plenty of help from the running game this year as well. Senior Tauren Poole is back, coming off a 1,000-yard campaign when he scored 11 times and averaged more than five yards per carry. Four starters are back on the offensive line as well, which should make for plenty of rushing lanes. All in all, the offense should be a potent, well-balanced unit.

Last season, the defense followed a similar pattern to the offense getting stronger as the season progressed. Led by former USC Trojan Malik Jackson, a young but highly-touted front four should be able to get some pressure on opposing quarterbacks. More importantly, the entire secondary returns for Tennessee. The unit will certainly have to improve after getting torched for almost 250 yards a game last year, but another year of experience should only help the cause.

The scheduling gods certainly didn’t do the Vols any favors this year. They are the only team from the SEC East that has to play SEC West foes Alabama, LSU and Arkansas. Tennessee does get division rivals Georgia and South Carolina at home, but a road game against a Florida Gators’ team that has owned the Volunteers lately won’t be easy. In fact, the Vols will likely be underdogs in all six of the above mentioned games.

Dooley’s team has enough pieces in place to make a run at an SEC East crown in the near future, but not in 2011-12. The young, talented players on both sides of the ball could give the conference powerhouses fits, but in the end, the experienced talent will win out. The SEC is an absolute gauntlet, and the Vols face the toughest road of any team.

2011 Tennessee Volunteers College Football Predictions: 6-6 Record

Preseason 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies NCAA Football Odds:
Odds to Win 2012 BCS Championship: +8000
Odds to Win 2011 SEC Champonship: +2000
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2011 Tennessee Volunteers College Football Schedule
Sat, Sep 3 Montana 6:00 pm —
Sat, Sep 10 Cincinnati 3:30 pm —
Sat, Sep 17 at Florida 3:30 pm —
Sat, Oct 1 Buffalo TBA —
Sat, Oct 8 Georgia TBA —
Sat, Oct 15 LSU TBA —
Sat, Oct 22 at Alabama TBA —
Sat, Oct 29 South Carolina TBA —
Sat, Nov 5 Middle Tennessee TBA —
Sat, Nov 12 at Arkansas TBA —
Sat, Nov 19 Vanderbilt TBA —
Sat, Nov 26 at Kentucky TBA —

Check out NSAwins.com’s official 2011 SEC Football Predictions and Preview article.

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