2008 Tennessee Volunteers College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, An Expert College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting college football this year, be sure to buy Alex’s college football picks each week and guarantee a win!!

Tennessee Volunteers (10-4, 6-2 in 2007, 1st place in SEC East)
In a year that HC Phillip Fulmer had his job on the line, the Tennessee Volunteers responded by winning the SEC East. Rocky Top responded by giving Fulmer a lucrative contract extension, but still expect big things in the future. Last season’s SEC Championship Game appearance was a success, especially considering the fact that they were crushed by both Florida and Alabama on the season. The Vols won six of their final seven games, with only a loss to eventual national champion LSU in the mix.

Offensive Outlook: Jonathan Crompton will be the man of the hour in Knoxville in ’08. He’ll have a heck of an offense around him, starting with RB Arian Foster, who was a 1,000-yard rushing a year ago. WR Lucas Taylor could become a first day draft pick in the NFL with a big season in ’08. Four of the five starters on the offensive line return, including RG Anthony Parker, another highly touted NFL prospect.

Defensive Outlook: The 2007 Vols defense had mixed results. They held strong opponents like Georgia, Wisconsin, and Arkansas under 20 points, but also gave up 40+ points to California, Florida, Alabama, and Kentucky. Replacing LB Jerod Mayo will be an incredibly difficult task, but Rico McCoy should step up and become the leader of the LB corps. Three of the six returning starters are in the secondary, a unit which must improve from a year ago for Tennessee to have success in the always difficult SEC.

2008 Preview: Tennessee does dodge LSU on its schedule, but has a murderous stretch in the middle of their season that includes games with Florida, Auburn, and Georgia. Don’t underestimate that season-opener in UCLA, as Rick Neuheisel’s bunch is good enough to spring the upset if the Vols aren’t careful. The rest of the non-conference schedule is very manageable, including games against Northern Illinois, UAB, and Wyoming.

2008 will be a success if… the defense can slow down the opposition’s passing game. Though the SEC isn’t known for its high-flying offenses, the Volunteers defense must contain opposing passing games if it hopes to give Crompton and the offense a chance to win games.

Tennessee probably isn’t good enough to repeat as SEC East champs again, but the squad is full of talented players and should post another respectable season.

Prediction: 8-4, 3rd place in SEC East