Aesius
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Oklahoma: Sooners fans are wishy-washy on Bob Stoops. He's good for 10-win seasons most years (including a pivotal season-defining loss), but they imploded last season and limped to 8-5, including a mid-tier bowl blowout at the hands of Clemson after being preseason playoff contenders. If "lowly Tennessee" beats OU right out of the gate in 2015, their fanbase will call for his head unless he unexpectedly runs the table after that game.
Florida: 10 wins in a row for the Gators. Beating Tennessee isn't just expected of UF's coaches, it's practically required. If McElwain drops the streak during his first season, Gator fans will probably start believing they have Zook 2.0 (or is it 3.0?) on their hands. If they also lose to Kentucky, all bets are off as to his future in Gainesville.
Georgia: Georgia fans are even more starved for a championship than we are. They're loaded with talent year in and year out but haven't won the conference in a decade or a national championship in 35 years. If Butch, working with a roster that's only about 75% rebuilt, beats Richt in year three, the pressure on him to retire/get fired will rise.
Arkansas: This is a bit of a stretch because I think Razorbacks fans are mostly happy with Bielema, but a loss to the Vols would be a painful pill for that fanbase to swallow, considering both programs started out on roughly equal footing when both coaches were hired.
Alabama: I think the Tide is in for a slight letdown of a season with a 9-3 record (the West is just too strong this year). If we're one of those three losses, Saban will start feeling uncomfortable in Tuscaloosa for the first time since 2007. Bama fans take beating Tennessee for granted almost as much as Florida fans, and upsetting the status quo won't sit pretty with them.
Kentucky: Tennessee always beats the **** out of Kentucky (except when it doesn't--thanks, Dooley!). But Stoops is recruiting well and should at the very least make Kentucky a bowl team fairly soon. However, another huge beatdown at the hands of the Vols won't inspire much confidence, especially if their season-ending outlook includes sitting at home in December yet again. Then again, we play them right before basketball season starts, so their fans will have forgotten about football by then anyway.
South Carolina: Never thought I would see the day where a Tennessee coach "owns" Spurrier, but Butch pulled off two miraculous wins against the man who tormented the Vols on a yearly basis in the 90s. Now Tennessee has a stronger roster and a chance to make it three in a row at home. I have to imagine that Spurrier will seriously consider retirement if he realizes his roster has fallen behind the Vols. He's too old to play catchup at this point in his career and the fans will probably turn on him if he delivers another 6-6 or worse season.
Vandy: Derek Mason is already a dead man walking, but Butch has the privilege of delivering the coup de grace to his tenure as head coach of the Vandy football team at Neyland this year. Last season's game was too close for comfort, and while Vandy frequently plays above their heads against Tennessee, a resounding loss at the hands of the "Viles" will be the death knell for Mr. Mason.
Florida: 10 wins in a row for the Gators. Beating Tennessee isn't just expected of UF's coaches, it's practically required. If McElwain drops the streak during his first season, Gator fans will probably start believing they have Zook 2.0 (or is it 3.0?) on their hands. If they also lose to Kentucky, all bets are off as to his future in Gainesville.
Georgia: Georgia fans are even more starved for a championship than we are. They're loaded with talent year in and year out but haven't won the conference in a decade or a national championship in 35 years. If Butch, working with a roster that's only about 75% rebuilt, beats Richt in year three, the pressure on him to retire/get fired will rise.
Arkansas: This is a bit of a stretch because I think Razorbacks fans are mostly happy with Bielema, but a loss to the Vols would be a painful pill for that fanbase to swallow, considering both programs started out on roughly equal footing when both coaches were hired.
Alabama: I think the Tide is in for a slight letdown of a season with a 9-3 record (the West is just too strong this year). If we're one of those three losses, Saban will start feeling uncomfortable in Tuscaloosa for the first time since 2007. Bama fans take beating Tennessee for granted almost as much as Florida fans, and upsetting the status quo won't sit pretty with them.
Kentucky: Tennessee always beats the **** out of Kentucky (except when it doesn't--thanks, Dooley!). But Stoops is recruiting well and should at the very least make Kentucky a bowl team fairly soon. However, another huge beatdown at the hands of the Vols won't inspire much confidence, especially if their season-ending outlook includes sitting at home in December yet again. Then again, we play them right before basketball season starts, so their fans will have forgotten about football by then anyway.
South Carolina: Never thought I would see the day where a Tennessee coach "owns" Spurrier, but Butch pulled off two miraculous wins against the man who tormented the Vols on a yearly basis in the 90s. Now Tennessee has a stronger roster and a chance to make it three in a row at home. I have to imagine that Spurrier will seriously consider retirement if he realizes his roster has fallen behind the Vols. He's too old to play catchup at this point in his career and the fans will probably turn on him if he delivers another 6-6 or worse season.
Vandy: Derek Mason is already a dead man walking, but Butch has the privilege of delivering the coup de grace to his tenure as head coach of the Vandy football team at Neyland this year. Last season's game was too close for comfort, and while Vandy frequently plays above their heads against Tennessee, a resounding loss at the hands of the "Viles" will be the death knell for Mr. Mason.
