Tennessee Football RB Peyton Lewis Expected to Enter the Transfer Portal

Peyton Lewis is expected to enter the transfer portal.

Tennessee running back Star Thomas (9) pulls against Tennessee running back Peyton Lewis (2) during warm-ups for a NCAA football game against Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Oct. 25, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the month of December is wrapping up, it is not concluding in silence in the world of college football.

Bowl games and college football playoff games alike are in full swing. In less than two weeks a curve ball will be dropped into the equation.

Beginning on January 2, and continuing until January 16, the college football transfer portal will open for the winter period.

The Vols are already aware of a few players who intend to enter during the winter window of the transfer portal. Today, another player is named as, "to be expected," to enter.

Tennessee football running back Peyton Lewis is expected to enter the transfer portal according to Hayes Fawcett. Lewis is a sophomore tailback who has been utilized in the running back rotation.

Lewis was a part of a three-man tandem along with DeSean Bishop and Star Thomas. Many anticipated an increased role for the Virginia native, but we may never know as it appears that Lewis will not be a Volunteer in 2026.

Lewis finished this season with 290-yards on 70 carries, and getting into the endzone 7 times. The sophomore back is more than likely looking for a more featured role as Lewis always seemed to be the type of back that gets better as the games goes on and being in a rotation can sometime limit that.

Some school is going to get a solid back with landing Lewis.

This will most certainly impact a few things. Daune Morris will definitely see an increased role. The Vols will have to go get someone out of the portal as Star Thomas will be moving on as he is a senior.

Tennessee did not add a running back in the 2026 cycle, so there is always a possibility they could find an unsigned senior in February, but the Vols will need someone who can be an immediate contributor in some phase.

This almost ensures that the Vols turn the heat up on what should be the top priority in 2027, in-state running back David Gabriel-Georges. This provides a more genuine pitch in the sense of now he is no longer simply a player they would love to have, now they truly need him.

The Vols have done a fantastic job at recruiting DGG to this point, but now the need to a high quality back has now increased.

The transfer portal will open on January 2, so we will all know more beginning on opening day.

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