Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers earned the No. 9 seed in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. With its final ranking, the program is set to face off against the No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes in the first round of the postseason.
While many Tennessee players are looking forward to the team’s upcoming CFP appearance, others have their attention turned elsewhere.
Earlier this week, seven Tennessee players had already announced their intentions to enter the 2025 transfer portal. Each of those seven players did not participate in practice on Tuesday, indicating that they won’t be playing in the Volunteers’ first-round playoff matchup against Ohio State.
On Thursday, yet another Tennessee player announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Nate Spillman is heading into the portal with three seasons of remaining eligibility.
Spillman, a former three-star recruit, appeared in four games for the Volunteers in 2024. He joins fellow WR Nathan Leacock, who announced his transfer portal move earlier in the day.
Spillman marks the ninth Tennessee player to announce his transfer portal decision before next week’s College Football Playoff contest.
None of the Tennessee players who’ve entered the transfer portal are starters, but a couple could’ve been key rotation players during the Volunteers’ postseason run — including wide receiver Chas Nimrod and linebacker Jalen Smith.
Tennessee defensive lineman and team captain Omari Thomas doesn’t take these transfer portal decisions personally.
“I respect all those guys who’ve been here, entered the portal and left. They’re doing what’s best for them. But we’d love to have those guys here with us on this journey that we’re going on,” Thomas said, via KnoxNews. “… All we can do is respect it, but we’ve got to be ready to fight (through playoffs) with the guys that are still willing to play for this team, play for Tennessee.”
Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel at Sanford Stadium.
Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
“Individuals are going to make a decision that they feel is right for them, for their family, whatever it might be,” Heupel added. “I just know this. As a competitor – doing this a long time as a coach and also (through) my playing experience – man, I can’t imagine not participating in what I think is one of the most unique opportunities in your playing career, but also in your life.”
Tennessee will kickoff against Ohio State at 8 p.m. EST on Saturday, Dec. 21.
