Tennessee football bowl projections: Here's who Vols should (and shouldn't) want to play
A Big Ten or an ACC opponent is likely in Tennessee's future.
The Vols (7-5) will learn their bowl destination on Sunday. Logical candidates include the Music City Bowl, Gator Bowl, Outback Bowl and Duke's Mayo Bowl.
The Music City or Outback would pit Tennessee against a Big Ten opponent, while the Gator or Duke's Mayo would slate the Vols against a team from the ACC.
On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks discuss possible bowl destinations and opponents for Tennessee.
Subscribe to the The Volunteer State
iTunes |Google Play Music | Spreaker
The Music City Bowl or the Gator Bowl seem like the likeliest destinations, they say. They also agree that Tennessee should favor playing a Big Ten school rather than an ACC foe.
The way Toppmeyer sees it, the Vols are playing with house money with a 7-5 record in Josh Heupel's season. Put that mark on the line against a big Big Ten brand like Penn State or Wisconsin. Best-case scenario for the Vols, they win and get to flaunt a triumph over one of the Big Ten's top annual programs. Worst-case scenario, there's little shame in losing to Penn State or Wisconsin with a first-year coach.
Additionally, Sparks thinks the Vols' up-tempo, high-scoring offense could pose problems for a Big Ten opponent more accustomed to a ball-control slugfest.
Comparatively, a clash with the ACC could pit Tennessee against a more high-scoring opponent. Possible ACC foes include Wake Forest, Virginia, Clemson or North Carolina.
The Vols average 38.8 points per game, while Wake Forest leads the ACC at 42.9 points per game. UNC averages 36.4, and Virginia checks in at 34.6.
Playing one of those teams would make for fun theater, of course, but also might make UT's offensive seem more pedestrian.
Other possible Big Ten bowl opponents include Minnesota and Purdue.
Each of UT's possible Big Ten opponents averages fewer than four touchdowns per game.
UT has won each of its past five bowl matchups against a Big Ten opponent, while it lost the last two bowl games it played against an ACC foe.
Toppmeyer says Wake Forest (10-2) is the opponent the Vols should most hope to avoid. Don't risk a loss to former Vols athletics director John Currie, who's now at Wake Forest.
Later in the episode, Sparks and Toppmeyer explain why they think it's unlikely that Heupel will become the next coach at Oklahoma, his alma mater.
Other Vols bowl projections
USA TODAY: Music City (vs. Penn State)
CBS Sports: Music City (vs. Minnesota)
The Athletic: Gator (vs. Clemson)
247Sports: Music City (vs. Minnesota)
Saturday Down South: Music City (vs. Purdue)
Sporting News: Outback (vs. Wisconsin)
Action Network: Outback (vs. Wisconsin)
Athlon: Music City (vs. Purdue)
Where to listen to The Volunteer State
Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat writer for the News Sentinel. If you enjoy their coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Also, you can subscribe to The Volunteer State podcast for free so you won't miss an episode, or check out SEC Football Unfiltered, another podcast from Toppmeyer, along with cohost John Adams.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football bowl projections: Vols should want Penn State, Wisconsin
