Tennessee Basketball Staff Forecasts a Deep NCAA Tournament Run
On November 2, 2026, three Vols on SI staff members shared predictions for Tennessee’s upcoming men’s basketball season, ranging from an Elite Eight appearance to a national championship.
Tennessee is set to begin the 2026–27 season with a roster featuring a highly praised transfer class. Staff predictions point to a more offense-focused team under coach Rick Barnes, with expectations of another strong postseason run after three straight Elite Eight appearances.
Caleb Sisk forecast a 29–4 regular season and titles in the Players Era tournament and SEC tournament. He projected Tennessee as a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed and picked the Vols to win the national championship against Houston. Sisk named NC State, Arkansas, Kentucky and Florida as the team’s expected regular-season losses, and predicted a Tennessee victory over Florida in the SEC final.
Josh Greer predicted a 27–10 finish, including a 12–6 SEC record, and a place in the Elite Eight for a fourth consecutive year. He expects Juke Harris to average more than 18 points per game and earn first-team All-SEC recognition. Greer also noted that the team’s newcomers will need to build chemistry as they face a demanding conference schedule.
Major Passons projected a 27–6 record, a Players Era tournament win and an SEC championship game appearance, followed by Tennessee’s first Final Four. He said the roster’s offensive strength represents a marked change from recent teams and predicted Barnes would have the Vols playing their best basketball at the right time.