Sept. 1, 7:30 PM ET on SEC Network
Pregame matchup quality: 72.4
Expectations are high on Rocky Top. Tennessee returns 17 starters to a team that was far more efficient than its record indicated in 2015. As a result, the Vols rank fifth in ESPN's Preseason FPI and are the favorite to win the SEC East. Before looking to the SEC schedule, Tennessee must get past a pesky Appalachian State team in Week 1. The Mountaineers won 11 games in 2015, their first bowl-eligible season in the FBS, and enter the season as the FPI favorite to win the Sun Belt.
ESPN's Football Power Index gives Tennessee a 95 percent chance to win.
