Barnes Previews No. 8 Tennessee's Season Opener Against Wofford

Rick Barnes spoke ahead of No. 8 Tennessee's season opener against Wofford, previewing the start of the regular season for the Volunteers. The remarks came as Barnes and his team prepared to move from preseason work into a game that counts.

An opener carries its own questions for any team, even one ranked eighth. Rotations tighten, roles become real, and the things a coaching staff has only seen in practice and preseason play get tested against an opponent with a plan of its own.

For Tennessee, the Wofford game is the first measuring point. Barnes' preview set the stage for a Vols team carrying a top-10 ranking and the expectations that come with it, and the performance in the opener will offer the first real evidence of where this group stands.