Latest preseason bowl game prediction for the Tennessee Vols is extremely lackluster

CBS Sports updated their preseason bowl game predictions this week, and the Tennessee Vols’ projection is… well, pretty lackluster.

The national sports media outlet doesn't anticipate the Vols being in the College Football Playoff mix. Instead, they have Tennessee playing Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl on January 2 in Memphis.

Tennessee hasn't appeared in the Liberty Bowl since 1986.

The last three SEC programs to appear in the Liberty Bowl all finished the regular season with mediocre records.

In 2021, Mississippi State appeared in the Liberty Bowl after going 7-5 during the regular season.

The Arkansas Razorbacks are the most recent SEC program to appear in the Liberty Bowl, making the trip to Memphis at the end of the 2022 and 2024 seasons. Arkansas went 6-6 during the regular season in both years.

So it sounds like CBS Sports isn't expecting the Vols to have a very good season in 2025. A 7-5 or 6-6 season would be considered quite a letdown for Tennessee this fall.

We'll see in a few months if CBS Sports made the right call.