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The media have been a notch better toward the Tennessee Volunteers, or at least they have been in the AP Poll compared to the Coaches’ Poll.
The Vols enter the 2016 season ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll and No. 10 in the Coaches’ Poll.
But are all media members fond and believe in Butch Jones’ fourth Tennessee team, which opens tonight against Appalachian State?
Nobody likes Tennessee more in 2016 than CBS Sports’ Brian Jones. The former UCLA and Texas linebacker likes the Vols to win the national championship.
LOOK: Brian Jones of CBS chose Tennessee to win the national championship https://t.co/98qEoKiwNN
— Vols Big Orange Podcast (@BigOrangePod) August 27, 2016
Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports also likes the Vols. A lot. Cowherd likes Team 120 to reach the College Football Playoff.
@ColinCowherd has the Vols in the College Football Playoff https://t.co/NxhTGEd8nD pic.twitter.com/v0c5MCkTWZ
— Tennessee Football (@TennesseeFB) August 6, 2016
It’s not all and well for Tennessee in preseason picks. Auburn beat writer Brandon Marcello of 247Sports is not a believer. He picked the Josh Dobbs-led team finishing third in the SEC East, specifically saying he’s not a believer in Dobbs.
My #SECMD16 ballot: pic.twitter.com/0Rv2IOlJxV
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) July 14, 2016
USA Today Sports’ Danny Sheridan likes the Vols to win the SEC East and lose to LSU in the SEC Championship Game. Sheridan mentioned to Paul Finebaum that having a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma and Florida last season was impressive. He also talked highly of Tennessee having a 14-point lead against Arkansas and turning the role to Alabama of being a 15-point underdog in 2015 to a two-point preseason underdog in 2016.
Did you miss @DannySheridan1's annual preseason predictions? He says a new SEC Champ will be crowned!
WATCH: https://t.co/5UL0XQabpe
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) August 30, 2016
ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit sees the Vols in the same capacity. He likes Team 120 to make it to Atlanta to play for the conference championship in December.
Atlanta in early December https://t.co/cXkj50El9Z
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) July 22, 2016
Those fourth-quarter collapses are still fresh in many writers’ mind, though. The blown leads to Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas – plus the late loss at Alabama – have some questioning whether the Vols are capable of closing out meaningful games. SEC Network’s and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is one.
Greg McElroy says he's leaning towards Florida in the East because he doesn't think Tennessee has the mentality to win big games.
— Houston Kress (@VolRumorMill) July 12, 2016
To be sure, the Vols have been the talk of the 2016 preseason.
Starting tonight, Team 120 has the chance to live up to their potential and prove who they are on the field.
Dan Harralson covers Tennessee football for SaturdayDownSouth.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @danharralson.
