🏈 It’s SEC Championship or bust with Tennessee’s schedule in 2016

[TerryP]

2) Both of Tennessee’s toughest games, must-wins if you want to call them that, come at home. Here’s where YOU, one of the 100,000-plus expected to pack Knoxville seven times this fall, come into play. If the Vols’ defense is as good as advertised and its edge rushers stay healthy, Tennessee’s league opener against Florida on Sept. 24 may not deliver the high-end drama we’ve come to expect in this matchup.

All that noise should disrupt any sort of rhythm new quarterback Luke Del Rio hopes to find in Florida’s first road game of the season. Don’t give up the lead late and that’s a win for Tennessee, despite that 800-pound gorilla in the room that dominates the rivalry conversation.

The second half of this equation is Alabama, one of the Vols’ long-standing rivals in a series that has lost most — if not, all — of its luster over the last decade. Many of Tennessee’s nine losses to the Crimson Tide haven’t been close since 2007 haven’t been close, but this year’s matchup is different. The rosters are comparable and this time, Big Orange has the talent edge in several individual position battles.

If the Vols split these two games and manage to win the rest — and they’ll be favored to in all but maybe one (at Georgia) — this season would be a raving success and Tennessee could be CFP-bound if it wins in Atlanta. So what’s the silver lining in this season’s cross-divisional games? Tennessee won’t play Ole Miss or LSU during the regular season, two nationally-ranked squads equally as impressive from the outset as the Crimson Tide. We know how much trouble the Rebels have given Saban back-to-back seasons …
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It’s SEC Championship or bust with Tennessee’s schedule in 2016

 

[TerryP]

If any of you guys missed it, this is the first time in several years UT isn't getting a week off before facing Bama. Back to back road games against UGA and A&M before hosting Bama.

A true third Saturday ...

 

[TidertillIdie]

I agree with the post that UT has the schedule this year to make some noise. A&M with an unproven QB, UGA with new coach and new QB. They do have good starting talent but if the injury bug hits them their depth could be an issue. They need more recruiting classes to have the depth as us. I think this could be a very tough game for us but we are fortunate they are coming off two road games.

 

[rammerjammer]

If any of you guys missed it, this is the first time in several years UT isn't getting a week off before facing Bama. Back to back road games against UGA and A&M before hosting Bama.

A true third Saturday ...

I did know this, and that is why I like our chances.......again.

The past few years (last year especially) we were running on fumes down the stretch. I like the off week before LSU, but even Saban mentioned how fatigued the guys were after 7 weeks straight. I know it is at Neyland and I'm sure they will be sky high, with a decent record coming into that game, but with "all things being equal" on the amount of rest each team has had coming in.....I think we make it 10 years straight.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

. We know how much trouble the Rebels have given Saban back-to-back seasons …
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it's time to put the Mississippi team back in its place.

 

[sean]

looking back, i don't think Coach Saban has ever lost to tennessee.....no matter where he was coach.

i'll take those odds any day of any week.

 

[bradenob]

"The second half of this equation is Alabama, one of the Vols’ long-standing rivals in a series that has lost most — if not, all — of its luster over the last decade. Many of Tennessee’s nine losses to the Crimson Tide haven’t been close since 2007 haven’t been close, but this year’s matchup is different. The rosters are comparable and this time, Big Orange has the talent edge in several individual position battles."

I guess I just have to wonder what this guy is thinking? Is Josh Dobbs vs our secondary a favorable matchup for him? I really don't think so. What about our DL against their OL? They did well last year against us last year, but I think we win that battle. What about our WRs against their secondary? Is that favorable to THEM?? Do they match up favorably to our O-line with their D-line? I mean, what is this guy talking about???!!!!

They may have the better place kicker. Their QB is proven, sure, and he is dual threat. They have good RBs, but not better than ours. Our receivers are better, our LBs are better, our DEs are better, our secondary is better. Where do they have a talent edge, again, besides QB and PK???

As usual, I say ucheat can go $%#* themselves, and so can this guy for even thinking that!

I'll grant you, it'll be a tough game, but I agree with rammerjammer. We will be coming off a game AT Arky, so it'll be rough on us going to vilesville. Our D is going to make it tougher on them than last year. Dobbs WILL NOT run on us, and I think we get him to throw some picks. We should move the ball decently well on them. Sure, if we get thru the West we may see them in ATL, but I'd love nothing more than the chance to beat ucheat TWICE in ONE season!! Roll Tide!!

 

[T&B]

I know they got at least one loss coming in October. Been that way as long as I can remember.

 

[TerryP]

looking back, i don't think Coach Saban has ever lost to tennessee.....no matter where he was coach.

i'll take those odds any day of any week.

11-1. LSU lost to UT in the regular season of 2001 then faced them again in the SECCG with LSU winning.

That year was fairly significant. It marked the second time LSU had won 10 games in a season since the mid-80's and many have speculated it was the beginning of the downturn of UT football.

 

[sean]

11-1. LSU lost to UT in the regular season of 2001 then faced them again in the SECCG with LSU winning.

That year was fairly significant. It marked the second time LSU had won 10 games in a season since the mid-80's and many have speculated it was the beginning of the downturn of UT football.

thanks for the correction. i didn't do too much looking as i was kinda tired.

but i'd still take those odds.

 

[rick4bama]

11-1. LSU lost to UT in the regular season of 2001 then faced them again in the SECCG with LSU winning.

That year was fairly significant. It marked the second time LSU had won 10 games in a season since the mid-80's and many have speculated it was the beginning of the downturn of UT football.

TerryP wasn't that the year that these two show up? At the SECCG?

 

[TerryP]

thanks for the correction. i didn't do too much looking as i was kinda tired.

but i'd still take those odds.

One too many conversations with some LSU fans comparing Bama v UT to LSU v UF in permanent opponent discussions.