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Where Tennessee's strength of schedule ranks in Football Power Index

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) fumbles the ball as Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) trails him, during a football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) fumbles the ball as Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) trails him, during a football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Tennessee's 2024 schedule is among the toughest in college football, at least according to one metric.

ESPN's computer-based Football Power Index, which recently released a plethora of numbers and percentages for the upcoming season, including conference championship and College Football Playoff berth chances, ranked the strength of schedule for every team.

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The Vols' slate was ranked No. 8 nationally and sixth in the SEC. The schedule includes a non-conference neutral site match up with N.C. State and conference road games at Oklahoma and Georgia.

Though the additions of Oklahoma and Texas have altered the league's scheduling format, Tennessee managed to keep all of its annual games in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

The Crimson Tide, who finished one game short of the national championship last season, will come to Knoxville on Oct. 19 under first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer while Florida and Vanderbilt are coming off of losing seasons.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee's chances of winning SEC according to ESPN Football Power Index

The Vols will play at Arkansas for the first time since 2020 coming off of the first of two bye weeks on Oct. 5. Tennessee's second bye week is sandwiched between homes games against Alabama and Kentucky.

The rest of the Vols' non-conference schedule includes FCS Chattanooga in their season opener on Aug. 31, Kent State and UTEP in late November.

Tennessee's 2024 opponents averaged 6.5 wins last season.

The FPI gave the Vols a 5.5% chance of winning the SEC and a 36.9% chance of reaching the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff with a 2.7% chance of winning the national championship.

Tennessee 2024 schedule
Date Team Location 2023 record

Aug. 31

Chattanooga

Knoxville, Tenn.

8-5

Sept. 7

N.C. State

Charlotte, N.C.

9-4

Sept. 14

Kent State

Knoxville, Tenn.

1-11

Sept. 21

Oklahoma

Norman, Okla.

10-3

Oct. 5

Arkansas

Fayetteville, AK

4-8

Oct. 12

Florida

Knoxville, Tenn.

5-7

Oct. 19

Alabama

Knoxville, Tenn.

12-2

Nov. 2

Kentucky

Knoxville, Tenn.

7-6

Nov. 9

Mississippi State

Knoxville, Tenn.

5-7

Nov. 16

Georgia

Athens, Ga.

13-1

Nov. 23

UTEP

Knoxville, Tenn.

3-9

Nov. 30

Vanderbilt

Nashville, Tenn.

2-10

Tennessee will have two bye weeks on Sept. 28 and Oct. 26.

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