Urban Meyer Issues Stark Warning: Could This Major Program Face Its Worst Season Yet?

If 2024 was college football’s blockbuster season — complete with a two-way Heisman winner and a jaw-dropping 12-team playoff expansion — then brace yourself: 2025 might just be the plot twist nobody saw coming. Urban Meyer, three-time national champ and eternal truth-teller, isn’t exactly betting on the Tennessee Volunteers to build on last year’s magic. On the latest Triple Option, Meyer laid out a crystal-clear forecast: an 8-4 regular season, sprinkled with tough losses to perennial powerhouses like Georgia and Alabama, plus a couple of stinging surprises from the SEC’s wild card teams. After last season’s playoff berth, and jaw-dropping performances, is this dip in fortune just a hiccup… or the start of a trend? Throw in the offseason drama with starting QB Nico Iamaleava’s NIL standoff and a less-than-proven backup stepping up — the question isn’t just about wins and losses anymore, it’s about identity, resilience, and whether Tennessee can convince its fans that the rollercoaster isn’t coming off the rails. So what do you make of the Volunteers’ outlook—can they still roar in 2025, or is it time for Buckeyes and Bulldogs to start celebrating early? LEARN MORE.

The 2024 college football team was one for the history books. We saw a two-way player win the Heisman, a record-breaking running back outperform many quarterbacks and 12-team College Football Playoff.

But as the 2025 season rapidly approaches, Urban Meyer is expecting disappointment for one storied football program.

On the latest edition of The Triple Option, the three-time national champion predicted a disappointing season for the Tennessee Volunteers. He broke down every game on their schedule and determined that Tennessee would lose their games against Georgia and Alabama along with two of either Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma or Florida. 

That comes out to a mere 8-4 record for the Volunteers. Coming off a year where they made the College Football Playoff, that would be a huge letdown.

“I’d go advantage Tennessee but that’s going to be a tough game. That’s going to be a tough one,” Meyer said of Tennessee’s opener against Syracuse. “I mean, on paper, Tennessee has got better players. That’s a fact. That’s the way it is.”

“I’m going to give them that one because I’m going to say they’ll split Arkansas-Kentucky,” Meyer said. “They’ll split Oklahoma-Florida. So, let’s give them one more win. That’s six.”

“I’ll tell you what. That’s another one,” he said of Vanderbilt. “They’ve got a heck of a coaching staff down there. That’s a rivalry game.”

The Volunteers went 10-2 in the regular season last year, stunning No. 7 Alabama but losing games to Arkansas and Georgia which kept them out of SEC title contention. Nevertheless, they reached the College Football Playoff as an at-large bid.

But the Vols – like most other teams in college football last year – were quickly overwhelmed by Ohio State and were quickly eliminated by the eventual champions in 42-17 blowout on the road.

The 2025 offseason hasn’t exactly given fans confidence either. In one of the biggest college football offseason stories ever, starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava decided to leave the program over an NIL money dispute. 

The Vols are likely going to have to make due with former Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar as their quarterback. While he’s good, he doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence.

What do you think the Vols’ record in 2025 will be?

Related: Nico Iamaleava’s Contract Demands Revealed Amid Holdout