Whether 7-6 seasons are celebrated or criticized largely depends on the situation in which the program found itself entering the season.

Tennessee found itself in a mess last January. The Vols fired Jeremy Pruitt for cause amid an NCAA investigation into allegations of recruiting malfeasance. Players fled for the transfer portal.

New coach Josh Heupel's task was to staunch the bleeding, and he achieved that by leading Tennessee to a 7-6 record in his first season. Although it ended with a disappointing 48-45 loss to Purdue in the Music City Bowl, most fans will be content with Heupel's debut.

Now, the bar raises.

On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's John Adams and Adam Sparks evaluate Tennessee's chances of ascending next season.

Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) Adam (@AdamSparks) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on Vols sports news by following @GoVolsXtra.

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