ATHENS, Ga. (WTVF) — Two years ago, Tennessee football was in the middle of a stretch in which it lost seven of eight games, all by double digits. Now it’s the No. 1 team in the nation after one of the most abrupt turnarounds in recent college football history.
Tennessee parted ways with head coach Jeremy Pruitt after that 3-7 season in 2020. In came Josh Heupel, a 42-year-old offensive guru from UCF, and off the Vols went on a year-and-a-half-long journey from the bottom half of the SEC to the top of the national rankings.
The Vols are 8-0 this season, with five wins over ranked opponents. They debuted as the top-ranked team in the initial College Football Playoff Rankings Tuesday night and have a chance to take control of the SEC East race with a win over No. 3 Georgia between the hedges at Sanford Stadium Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on NewsChannel 5.
The only thing quicker than the turnaround itself may be the Tennessee offense. Everything about Josh Heupel's system is fast, including a tempo that has the ball being snapped every 21 seconds.
Led by quarterback Hendon Hooker, the Vols have had opposing defenses on their heels all season, leading the nation in total offense, racking up 550 yards and 49 points per game.
Hooker's been a revelation himself. A transfer from Virginia Tech in the spring of 2021, he was originally beaten out for the starting job by Joe Milton. But Hooker kept working and took over as the starter in week three of last year and has thrown for 52 touchdowns and just four interceptions since.
This season Hooker's been even better, tossing 21 touchdowns and just one pick while amassing more than 2,300 passing yards already. And with Tennessee playing well he's the current frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy.
Hooker had a signature moment with his game-winning drive against Alabama last month and could deliver another one Saturday with a road win against a Georgia defense that ranks no. 4 in the country.
Most importantly, a victory would put Tennessee on track to make its first SEC Championship game appearance since 2007 if it can avoid a late season stumble as a heavy favorite against South Carolina, Missouri or Vanderbilt.
It's been a dream turnaround from the depths the program sunk to in 2020, and Big Orange Nation hopes the perfect season can continue.
