Tennessee football is a different kind of animal. If you’ve ever stood in the middle of a sea of orange when the "Pride of the Southland" marches through the T, you know exactly what I mean. It’s loud. It’s overwhelming. Honestly, it’s kinda spiritual if you’re a Vol. But the utk football schedule 2024 wasn't just about the pageantry. It was the year Tennessee finally kicked down the door of the new 12-team College Football Playoff.
Expectations were basically through the roof. You had Nico Iamaleava, the five-star kid with the pajama pants and the million-dollar arm, taking the keys to Josh Heupel’s Ferrari of an offense. People were dreaming of a national title run. And while they didn't get the trophy, the ride was wild.
The Gauntlet: Breaking down the utk football schedule 2024
The year started like a track meet. Tennessee didn't just beat people; they erased them. Chattanooga got steamrolled 69-3. Then came the Charlotte trip to play NC State, which everyone thought would be a "statement game." It was a statement, alright. The Vols won 51-10 and made a Top 25 team look like a high school squad.
But the SEC is where things get messy. Real messy.
The trip to Norman was personal. Josh Heupel returning to Oklahoma, the place that once tossed him aside, was the biggest storyline of September. Tennessee’s defense—not the offense—actually won that game 25-15. It was a weird, grit-your-teeth kind of win that proved these Vols weren't just a finesse team. Then, the wheels sort of wobbled. A sleepy night in Fayetteville led to a 19-14 loss to Arkansas that had everyone in Knoxville calling the local sports talk radio shows to complain about "play-calling."
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That Third Saturday in October
If you want to understand the 2024 season, you just have to look at October 19th. Alabama came to town. It was the "Third Saturday in October," and Neyland Stadium was a powder keg.
The first half was ugly. Nico looked like a freshman. Three turnovers had the Vols trailing 7-0 at the break, and the air felt like it was being sucked out of the stadium. But Dylan Sampson—man, that guy is a legend—just put the team on his back. He finished with 139 yards and two scores. When Chris Brazzell II made that diving catch in the end zone to take the lead, the sound was literally deafening.
Vols win 24-17. Goalposts? Gone. Cigars? Lit. It was the second time in three years Tennessee beat the Tide at home, proving 2022 wasn't a fluke.
The Brutal Reality of November
The utk football schedule 2024 saved the hardest hit for last. After handling Kentucky and Mississippi State at home, the Vols headed to Athens.
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Georgia is just a different beast at home. Tennessee actually jumped out to a 10-0 lead, and for a second, you thought, "Maybe? Just maybe?" But Kirby Smart’s defense tightened the screws. Nico struggled to find explosive plays downfield, and the Vols didn't score a single point in the second half. They lost 31-17. It was a reality check. It showed that while Tennessee is elite, they still have a tiny bit of ground to cover to be "Georgia elite."
- Final Regular Season Record: 10-2
- SEC Record: 6-2
- Key Stat: Dylan Sampson broke the school record for rushing touchdowns in a single season (22).
The Playoff and the Ohio State Heartbreak
Because they finished 10-2, the Vols earned the No. 7 seed in the first-ever 12-team Playoff. This meant a trip to Columbus, Ohio, in late December.
It was cold. It was hostile. And it was ultimately too much. Ohio State’s roster is basically a Pro Bowl team, and they beat Tennessee 42-17. It sounds like a blowout, and on paper, it was, but the Vols were actually in it for a while before the Buckeyes' depth just took over.
What the 2024 season taught us
The offense changed. Under Heupel, we were used to 500 yards of passing. In 2024, the identity was different. It was a "run-first, play-elite-defense" kind of team. James Pearce Jr. was a terror on the edge, and the defensive line was arguably the best in the country for most of the year.
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Takeaways for the future:
- Nico is the guy: He had growing pains, but the talent is undeniable. 19 touchdowns to 5 interceptions as a first-year starter is a massive foundation.
- The Defense is the Floor: Tennessee used to need 40 points to win. Now, they can win 20-15. That makes them much more dangerous in the long run.
- Recruiting is working: The depth on the lines of scrimmage—the "big uglies"—is finally where it needs to be to survive an SEC schedule.
If you’re planning for next year or just reminiscing on this one, make sure you've got your gear ready. The standard has officially been raised. No more "hoping" for eight wins. In Knoxville, it’s Playoff or bust now.
To stay ahead of the curve for the upcoming season, start tracking the transfer portal entries this spring to see how the Vols fill the holes left by guys like Dylan Sampson and Cooper Mays. Keeping an eye on the 2025 spring game (the Orange and White Game) will be your first real look at the new-look backfield and whether the defensive dominance can actually continue without Pearce.