Tennessee is clearly a program trending in the right direction.

If a few of its close games would have swung in favor of the Vols, we would be watching  Tennessee in today’s SEC Championship Game against Alabama. Remember, the Tide escaped the Volunteers just 19-14 earlier this year.

Tennessee is probably a better team than Florida right now. The Vols won their last five games and should head into 2016 with a ton of momentum.

Their close losses were against top-tier programs. No. 3 Oklahoma slipped past Tennessee 31-24 in overtime. Then there Florida, which beat the Vols by one point before QB Will Grier was suspended.

The worst loss came to Arkansas on Oct. 3, though the Razorbacks were a solid team that also won at Ole Miss and LSU.

The Vols are on the cusp. They are hanging with the best teams in the country and should come back stronger in 2016.

Next year, Tennessee should be the frontrunner in the SEC East. Florida should remain stout defensively, but its offense has major question marks. Georgia may be in the hunt, but it will be in a new system under Kirby Smart.

Most important, the Vols return most of their entire starting lineup, including their two primary playmakers, QB Josh Dobbs and RB Jalen Hurd.

Despite a somewhat inconsistent season throwing the ball, Dobbs has completed almost 60 percent of his passes for 2,125 yards and 15 touchdowns with only five interceptions. Dobbs also ran 623 yards and nine TDs.

Hurd, who has speed and power, has rushed for 1,158 yards and 11 TDs, averaging 5.48 yards per carry. Alvin Kamara, another returning RB, added 645 yards and six TDs on 6.72 yards per carry.

Returning receivers Josh Malone, Josh Smith, Ethan Wolf as well as Kamara and Hurd each caught at least 21 passes this season.

The Vols lose only two starters on offense and three on defense if nobody leaves early. Dobbs, Kamara and CB Cam Sutton and LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin could make themselves eligible for the NFL Draft.

Tennessee’s last SEC Championship appearance was in 2007. Everything stacks up in favor for the Vols to return to Atlanta next season.

If they get there, the Vols have a solid chance to win it all. A team from the SEC East hasn’t won the SEC Championship since Florida defeated Alabama in 2008. Tennessee has already proven it can hang with anyone in the country.

The Vols just have to win on the SEC’s biggest stage.