The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams, widening the postseason path for teams like Tennessee.

The Vols would’ve made a 12-team playoff in 2022. They would’ve missed it by two wins in 2023.

Neither an unbeaten record nor a conference title will be needed to make the CFP. An SEC team with a 10-2 record or better will be in contention. That means there’s a wider margin for error than any previous season.

And small improvements can add up to make the difference between a Citrus Bowl one season and a playoff appearance the next.

Here are six positions where Tennessee must upgrade from 2023 to 2024 to make the CFP.

Quarterback

Why it wasn’t CFP worthy: Joe Milton was more of a game manager than a difference maker. He operated the offense and limited mistakes, tossing only five interceptions in 12 starts. His best games were in wins over Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Those high points were emblematic of UT’s ceiling in 2023.

Who must make it better: Nico Iamaleava, the former five-star prospect, must limit mistakes like Milton but make plays like the SEC’s best quarterbacks. That’s a challenging combo for an inexperienced albeit talented quarterback. His Citrus Bowl MVP performance hints that it’s possible. But he’ll be asked to make big plays against NC State, Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama and Georgia to get into CFP race.

Wide receiver

Why it wasn’t CFP worthy: Opponents didn’t fear any UT wide receivers. Squirrel White came the closest. But he’s more effective as a complementary receiver rather than the No. 1 target. And Bru McCoy, a physical sure-handed receiver, was lost early to a season-ending injury.

Who must make it better: Any receiver who can take the top off the defense as a deep threat to help White and McCoy. Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell was added with that hope. Maybe Dont’e Thornton, a 2023 Oregon transfer, can develop into that role in his second attempt. Five-star freshman Mike Matthews is another possibility.

Interior offensive lineman

Why it wasn’t CFP worthy: This would be center or left guard, depending on the game. Either way, the interior offensive line was too thin. Tennessee struggled when center Cooper Mays was injured. And left guard was unsettled and plagued by injuries and penalties much of the season.

Who must make it better: Vysen Lang is the best bet among the young offensive linemen, and he can play guard or backup center. If not, a transfer may give the Vols the best chance of upgrading the position. But a darkhorse candidate is veteran backup Jackson Lampley. He played well at right guard against Vanderbilt and in the Citrus Bowl in the first two starts of his career.

Middle linebacker

Why it wasn’t CFP worthy: Elijah Herring got more blame than credit this season. But keep in mind that he led the team with 80 tackles, and he was supposed to be a backup learning the position behind BYU transfer Keenan Pili. Instead, Pili was lost for the season after a Week 1 injury, and Herring’s sub-par pass coverage was exposed in a thin linebacking corps.

Who must make it better: Pili is the easy answer. He’s returning for his seventh year of college football due to an injury waiver. If he remains healthy, he’ll give the Vols the transfer linebacker they would’ve sought in the portal if he hadn’t returned.

Cornerback

Why it wasn’t CFP worthy: Kamal Hadden had a rollercoaster relationship with Tennessee fans. But when he suffered a season-ending injury, the Vols lost their best cover corner. However, he was one of the team’s worst tacklers. His pros and cons highlight the limitations among the cornerbacks.

Who must make it better: The four cornerbacks who monopolized snaps in 2023 are all gone, so the rotation will be completely new. Rickey Gibson and Jordan Matthews were four-star prospects in the 2023 class. Oregon State transfer Jermod McCoy and Temple transfer Jalen McMurray join the mix. The group should be more athletic but less experienced. Time will tell if that’s a net gain or loss.

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Safety

Why it wasn’t CFP worthy: Opponents completed 76% of passes for eight TDs in Tennessee’s four losses. That wasn’t solely the fault of safeties, but it highlighted their limitations defending the back end of the defense. Georgia’s Carson Beck, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Florida’s Graham Mertz and Missouri’s Brady Cook found holes in Tennessee’s defense in critical situations. The Vols will face Beck, Milroe and Mertz again this season. If they lose all three games again, the playoff is off the table.

Who must make it better: Both starting safeties are gone, so it’s another clean slate. Andre Turrentine might take more risks but make more plays than his predecessors. Middle Tennessee transfer Jakobe Thomas played reasonably well against Alabama and Missouri last season for the Blue Raiders, but now he’ll face those opponents more regularly in the SEC. John Slaughter is another athletic albeit green option from that 2023 signing class.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football 2024 playoff chances start with Nico Iamaleava