Here's how I see Tennessee football's season going game-by- game. How did I do? | Adams

Tennessee football has averaged nine victories a year for the past three seasons and is ranked 15th nationally in preseason. It’s also working on a top-10 recruiting class for 2025.

You needed a strong imagination to envision that kind of success four years ago when the Vols finished 3-7. Coach Jeremy Pruitt was fired. Ten starters transferred. And UT braced itself for an NCAA investigation.

Against that backdrop, new athletic director Danny White hired Josh Heupel as his football coach. Just because that AD-coach combination clicked at UCF, you couldn’t be sure how it would work in the SEC. But it has.

And it has clicked quickly.

Tennessee went 11-2 and finished in the top 10 in Heupel’s second season when it led the nation in scoring. Two years later, the Vols again have that kind of potential as well as the possibility of qualifying for college football’s expanded 12-team playoff.

Here’s how I expect the season to go:

Tennessee 63, Chattanooga 7: Vols come close to reaching 70 points for the first time under coach Josh Heupel. But a Hail Mary pass − after an onside-kick recovery − is batted down in the Chattanooga end zone.

Tennessee 38, NC State 23: Vols fans strike up “Heisman” chant after quarterback Nico Iamaleava runs for three touchdowns and passes for two.

Tennessee 70, Kent State 7: UT finally hits 70 under Heupel as wide receiver Bru McCoy throws a 37-yard touchdown pass off an end-around with 1:33 remaining.

Oklahoma 31, Tennessee 30: Sooners sack Iamaeava four times and hold off a fourth-quarter Vols rally.

Tennessee 41, Arkansas 20: Razorbacks fire Sam Pittman at halftime after Vols take a 27-7 lead. Arkansas offense perks up under Arkansas interim head coach Bobby Petrino, but the Razorbacks never pull closer than 17 points.

Tennessee 37, Florida 27: James Pearce registers four sacks; Vols fans imitate Gators “chomp” while chanting “Don't fire Billy."

Tennessee 30, Alabama 27: Iamaleava scrambles 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage before uncorking a 23-yard touchdown pass to Chris Brazzell on the game’s final play for UT's second consecutive win over the Tide at Neyland Stadium.

Goal posts sway as Vols fans mock Tide by chanting: "Bring back Saban."

Tennessee 34, Kentucky 17: Dylan Sampson rushes for more than 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game as the Vols maintain their dominance over the Wildcats.

Tennessee 42, Mississippi State 23: Vols fans begin another “Heisman” chant after Iamaleava completes 17 consecutive passes in the second half.

Georgia 34, Tennessee 24: Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck completes 27 of 30 passes to upstage Iamaleava, who throws for three touchdowns.

ADAMS: Why Tennessee football quarterback room is bigger than just Nico Iamaleava

Tennessee 45, UTEP 7: Vols stay in contention for the College Football Playoff by overwhelming the Miners. Backup quarterback Gaston Moore throws for touchdowns on each of UT’s last two drives.

Tennessee 58, Vanderbilt 0: Sampson rushes for 275 yards to set a single-season school rushing record as Vols execute another “stadium takeover” against the Commodores, who go 0-for-8 in the SEC for a second consecutive season.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea bids adieu to the 13 Commodores fans in attendance.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com . Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Here's how I see Tennessee football's season going game-by- game. How did I do? | Adams