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Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10: No. 9

By Jason Parker

Jan 1, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jalen Hurd (1) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half in the 2016 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Northwestern Wildcats 45-6. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jalen Hurd (1) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half in the 2016 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Northwestern Wildcats 45-6. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here’s a look at the next team in Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10 Rankings.

As we are in the final month without college football (thank God that nightmare is almost over), teams from across the country will be hitting the practice fields getting ready for the 2016 season. For 25 of those teams, the season will start being ranked in the first polls for the 2016 campaign.

From Tallahassee to Tuscaloosa and Norman to South Bend, everyone from the traditional powers to the upstart programs will look to find their name with a number beside it for (at least) the opening weekend of the 2016 season.

Here at Chop Chat, we aren’t different from anyone else…we have the teams we think will start off the year ranked way too high and those who aren’t getting enough respect. So, here is our list of the top ten teams entering the 2016 season.

Before we get hate mail from fans of schools who are mad we didn’t rank their team high enough (or didn’t rank them at all), know that this is just a preseason list entering week one. In no way are we saying that this list is the way things will end up on January 10, 2017 after the national championship team. After all, with (spoiler alert) a lot of our top 10 teams playing each other this season, there will be plenty of changes before the month of September is even done.

No. 9 – Tennessee Volunteers

For the second straight season, Big Orange is the sexy pick to now just make noise in the SEC’s Eastern Division or the conference as a whole, but in the entire country. For head coach Butch Jones, the time has come to make believers out of people or stay in the category of teams that underachieve in the spotlight.

On offense, the Vols return 10 starters from last year’s team with none bigger than the backfield duo of quarterback Josh Dobbs and running back Jalen Hurd. Dobbs may be the best signal caller in the entire conference this season, but how far the offense goes will depend on what the all-conference running back does in big games. With games on the schedule against teams like Florida, Alabama and Georgia (all with solid defenses), having a balanced offense is key.

On defense, eight starters return to a unit that includes six of the seven players up front. Senor linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin will be the catalyst for the group, but don’t be shocked if junior safety Evan Berry, an all-conference selection from 2015, is the one who ends up pacing the Tennessee defense when it’s all said and done.

Game of the Year

September 24th vs. Florida – Last season, the Vols were so close to breaking their double digit losing streak to the Gators until a miraculous fourth down touchdown sent Tennessee to a 11th straight defeat. Big Orange needs this win in a big way.

Biggest Chance for an Upset

October 29th at South Carolina – The last time Will Muschamp faced Tennessee as a head coach, he led Florida to a one-point victory over the Vols. The Gamecocks are one of those teams that can lose to a FCS opponent, but beat a SEC powerhouse the following week.

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