Paul Finebaum Names College Football Playoff Team That’s a ‘Mystery’ originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the college football offseason transitions into the summer workout phase, many uncertainties remain surrounding several top teams. While some teams hoped to resolve their questions during spring practices, others continue to face unknown challenges.
One such team is the Tennessee Volunteers, who are currently dealing with a quarterback situation. This issue arose unexpectedly just before the spring game, when the team’s starting quarterback, redshirt sophomore Nico Iamaleava, entered the transfer portal.
Last season, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, playing a crucial role in leading the Volunteers to the playoffs. He has since committed to his home-state UCLA Bruins.
With Iamaleava’s departure, it is expected that former Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar, who was also committed to UCLA, will take over as the starting quarterback for Tennessee.
On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum discussed the Florida Gators’ upcoming schedule, stating that playing Tennessee at home is advantageous for Florida because of the quarterback situation.
“Tennessee is a mystery right now,” Finebaum said.
Aguilar has thrown for 6,760 yards, 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions while completing 60.1% of his passes. Additionally, he has rushed for 452 yards and five touchdowns during his two seasons at Appalachian State.
If he is not the starting quarterback, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger will likely take the position, although he has only thrown nine career passes. True freshman George MacIntyre is also in the running for the role.
Tennessee is also replacing four out of its five starting offensive linemen and star running back Dylan Sampson. Last season, Sampson led the SEC with 1,491 rushing yards and scored 22 touchdowns. He will likely be replaced by a trio of running backs: sophomore Peyton Lewis, redshirt sophomore DeSean Bishop, or transfer Star Thomas.
Lewis ran for 339 yards and three touchdowns last season, while Bishop accumulated 455 yards and three touchdowns. Thomas, who transferred from Duke, rushed for 871 yards and scored four touchdowns. Together, they combine for a total of 1,665 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Tennessee opens its season on Aug. 30 against the Syracuse Orange at noon ET.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names College Football Playoff Team That Won’t Win 10 Games in 2025
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.