The Volunteer State

Sometimes, the best way for a football team to improve its stock is by not taking the field.

That proved true for Tennessee last weekend. As other SEC teams showed weakness, the Vols (4-0, 1-0 SEC) enjoyed an off weekend, then climbed one spot to No. 8 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches poll.

On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks and John Adams discuss Tennessee's road game against LSU on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN), the Vols' brightening outlook and what a pair of injuries mean for the team.

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

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Tennessee is 4-0 for the first time since the 2016 season, and the Vols have a realistic path to a New Year's Six bowl after a 38-33 win against Florida.

From a macro level, it all looks good – really good – especially considering where this program was just a year and a half ago. On a micro level, there are some nits to pick.

On this episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer, Adam Sparks and John Adams reassess Tennessee's victory against Florida and what it means for the path ahead.

Hendon Hooker played like a quarterback worth of Heisman Trophy conversation. He masks deficiencies elsewhere.

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

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The Gators opened the season in impressive fashion, beating Utah, but they headed in reverse after that.

W've heard from UT fans feeling mighty confident about this game. Yet, others are feeling nauseous, unable to forget the series history. Florida has won 16 of the past 17 in this series. Oh, and ESPN's "College GameDay" is in town and the Vols will checker Neyland. Neither of those happenings has been a good omen for UT, historically.

On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks and John Adams explain why no amount of history or jinxes should get in Tennessee's way.

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

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Tennessee football is Sugar Bowl bound -- at least according to one early projection.

OK, take a deep breath. It's Week 3, after all. But in the latest bowl projections from Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, he's pegged the No. 16 Vols (2-0) into the Sugar Bowl against Baylor.

That still feels like a longshot, but it's conceivable after a hard-fought road victory against Pittsburgh.

On this episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer, Adam Sparks and John Adams explain what the win against Pitt means, both in the present and for Tennessee's bowl future.

Also, is playing lowly Akron on Saturday an opportunity for UT to address its stalled run game?

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

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Ball State offered little resistance in the Vols' opener ahead of an important game Saturday against Pittsburgh, but that doesn't mean we didn't learn anything.

We learned the Vols' offense remains the strength while the defense is a work in program. We also got a chance to rework our outlooks on the rest of the SEC.

Florida impressed. LSU and South Carolina didn't. Kentucky ranked somewhere in between.

On this episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer, Adam Sparks and John Adams rewire their Tennessee expectations based on what they saw throughout the SEC in Week 1.

Their verdict: They believe early developments bode well for Tennessee.

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

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 While Tennessee is a lopsided favorite against Ball State in Thursday's opener, the Vols' schedule will heat up next week.

On this episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer, John Adams and Adam Sparks assess what would define success in Josh Heupel's second season, compared to what would be labeled a disappointment.

Hint: It doesn't all come down to record.

Plus, a preview of what we'll be monitoring closest in the season opener.

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

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When Oklahoma and Texas join the SEC, the conference will stiffen overall, but Tennessee's schedule might ease up.

The SEC is considering expanding its conference schedule to nine games when those Big 12 teams join, but that doesn't spell doom for the Vols.

On this episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer, John Adams and Adam Sparks debate the impact that an expanded SEC schedule might have on Tennessee.

Annual rivalry games against Georgia and Florida likely would drop off the schedule, reduced to once every two years, while Tennessee could enjoy a cushy draw of Kentucky and Vanderbilt (but also Alabama) as annual rivals. Handed a nine-game SEC slate, the Vols also may opt for an easier non-conference schedule.

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

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SEC Network analyst Roman Harper, who played for the Crimson Tide and later in the NFL, recently predicted the Vols would go 10-2 during the regular season, with losses to Alabama and LSU.

Yes, that means Harper picked Tennessee upsetting Georgia, ranked No. 3 nationally in the preseason polls.

We're not willing to go that far, but Harper's bold picks got us thinking about some potential game outcomes.

On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks and John Adams consider some this-or-that scenarios on Tennessee's schedule.

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

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Tennessee received the thirst-most voting points of teams not in the top 25, meaning the Vols would be ranked No. 28 if the rankings extended that far.

Why did Tennessee not receive more love?

That's the headline topic on this edition of "The Volunteer State," featuring Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks and John Adams.

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

Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/

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The Vols are a proven offensive force and return much of the firepower from last season's seven-win team in Josh Heupel's debut season.

Peel back the layers, though, and the Vols have areas of concern that must be addressed if they're to catapult past the bar they set last season.

On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks and John Adams discuss the top concerns facing Tennessee as they navigate preseason practice.

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

Connect on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GoVolsXtra/

Subscribe to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe