Predicting how the Tennessee Vols will do game by game in 2018

John Adams | Knoxville

Here's a game-by-game take on Tennessee's 2018 football season:

West Virginia 28, Tennessee 27

Underdog Vols outplay nationally ranked West Virginia for most of the game, but former Florida quarterback Will Grier can’t resist being a hero.

He leads the Mountaineers to two touchdowns in the last seven minutes. Sound familiar?

UT Vols: Tennessee football practice, Aug. 24 Here are scenes from Friday’s Tennessee Vols practice.

Tennessee 41, ETSU 7

Vols honor ETSU coach Randy Sanders in pregame ceremonies for his contributions to the 1998 national championship team. Nothing good happens for the Bucs after that.

Tennessee’s Ty Chandler runs for 150 yards in the first half, and offensive tackle Trey Smith demonstrates his versatility by scoring two touchdowns on 1-yard runs in the Vols “jumbo package.”

Tennessee 45, UTEP 10

Tennessee’s rotating quarterbacks Keller Chryst and Jarrett Guarantano account for two touchdowns apiece. Smith registers six pancake blocks and connects with tight end Eli Wolf on a 2-yard jump pass for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Tennessee 20, Florida 19

Former Vol Jeff Hall kicks a 41-yard field goal in pregame ceremonies as UT honors the 1998 national championship team. Crowd responds with loudest cheer of the evening until …

... Offensive pass-interference penalty erases Florida’s 63-yard, last-second touchdown pass as Vols hold off the Gators comeback at Neyland Stadium.

Subscribe to the The Volunteer State

iTunes | Google Play Music | Spreaker

Georgia 37, Tennessee 13

Bulldogs take a 37-0 lead behind the passing of Jake Fromm, who throws for three touchdowns. Vols score 13 points in the last 20 minutes against Georgia second-teamers.

Smith scores Tennessee’s only touchdown on a tackle-eligible pass play.

Auburn 45, Tennessee 20

Fierce Tigers pass rush knocks both Guarantano and Chryst out of the game. Tennessee quarterback Will McBride and Smith both throw fourth-quarter touchdown passes after the game is out of reach.

Alabama 52, Tennessee 0

Vols drive 75 yards on first possession but fail to score after a false-start penalty negates Smith’s 1-yard touchdown run. Following UT’s missed field goal, Alabama scores 52 consecutive points.

Alabama gives game ball to former UT coach Butch Jones, who relentlessly serves coffee to Alabama press-box coaches throughout the game.

South Carolina 34, Tennessee 31

Guarantano returns from injury to spark UT's offense. Marquez Callaway gives UT a 31-27 lead with two minutes remaining on a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown, but South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley responds to lead a game-winning touchdown drive.

Tennessee 42, Charlotte 10

An estimated crowd of 57,000 shows up to watch UT honor its 2008 team. Chandler rushes for more than 200 yards, and Smith knocks out two Charlotte defenders on n a 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Tennessee 27, Kentucky 24

Smith scores his fifth and sixth touchdowns of the season on short runs, then anchors UT’s goal-line defense in the last minute as the Vols win their second SEC game of the season.

UT Vols: Tennessee football practice, Aug. 23 Here are scenes from Thursday’s Tennessee Vols football practice.

Missouri 42, Tennessee 27

Missouri quarterback Drew Lock throws for 350 yards and four touchdowns, and offensive coordinator Derek Dooley, UT’s former coach, gets a game ball as the Tigers win for the fifth time in seven games against UT.

Tennessee 30, Vanderbilt 27

Smith continues to star as a two-way player. He forces a fumble by Vanderbilt quarterback Kyle Shurmur, then scoops up the loose ball and runs 80 yards for a game-winning touchdown with three minutes to play.

The Vols are going bowling.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamsknks.

Adams: Tennessee Vols need Jeremy Pruitt to be more Lane Kiffin, less Butch Jones to make bowl

Vols precitions: How realistic is a winning record in Jeremy Pruitt's first season? Look at the data

Watch: Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt parodies 'Step Brothers' in new Farm Bureau Insurance ad