Tennessee came into the 2025 season with serious championship aspirations. They were ranked 24th in the AP preseason poll as a program riding high off a 10-win season and a College Football Playoff appearance just months prior. But as Josh Heupel addressed the media recently, the narrative had shifted dramatically. The Vols were sitting at 6-3 with their playoff hopes essentially dead after a devastating loss to Oklahoma.

The disappointment was evident in Heupel’s words as he reflected on the team’s trajectory. “As a competitor, in this game, at times, there’s going to be a result you don’t like,” Heupel told reporters. “Welcome to competing. If I had my wish, after that one, you’d play right away.” There was a weariness to his tone that comes from watching a season slip away in spite o

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