My predictions for the 2017 season

#1

NO SIR EEE

The Sultan Of Swat
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#1
9/4 vs GA TECH (Neutral Site)- Without a doubt, the triple option offense is very tough to prepare for. The defense will get a million looks and even though you've gone over it a million times, it'll still be a tough task to completely shut down. I see a tight game for a bit, but eventually Tennessee pulls away in the new Georgia Dome. Tennessee 35 Georgia Tech 21

9/9 vs Indiana State- It's the home opener, the players will be a little fatigued on a very short turn around but don't expect much out of Indy State, Tennessee rolls, letting up a late score.
Tennessee 49 Indy State 7

9/16 @ Florida- The streak is officially over as of last season. Malik Zaire joins the Gators this week as a dangerous addition to the offense. We've all seen Zaire, he isn't always the sharpest tool in the shed but he can make plays. The defense is going to have to be in complete lockdown mode and again looking at a thousand different looks. At the end of the day, Zaire makes just one mistake too many and the streak bumps to two for the Vols.
Tennessee 24 Florida 17

9/23 vs Umass- The defense will get a bit of a break after a tough game down in the ever so much hated swamp. The offense will flourish, look for a big game in the air and on the ground. Tennessee rolls no problem.
Tennessee 56 Umass 3

9/30 vs UGA- Revenge will have been on the minds of the dawgs all summer long after the heartbreak in Athens last year. This will without a doubt be a trap game in Knoxville. Georgia boasts a returning Nick Chubb who looks to be in better shape than he was all last year. Georgia, like Tennessee though will be a little young this year and with this possibly being a afternoon or night game, Neyland will be rocking and Tennessee wins again.
Tennessee 28 Georgia 24

10/14 vs South Carolina- A much needed bye week will be key here and the theme of the game will once again be revenge, but on Tennessee's side this time. Let's face it, that loss to South Carolina was a fluke but was riddled with enough mistakes to allow Carolina's freshman qb pull off a great victory in Columbia. Tennessee may not roll here, but Muschamp just doesn't have the horses.
Tennessee 24 South Carolina 14

10/21 @ Alabama- Will this finally be the year? Will the drought finally end? Let's face it, it may be just a couple of more years. Alabama won't roll but they'll close it by a couple of scores as the clock dwindles down. It'll be a barn burner for sure with two undefeated teams, but we'll have to wait just a little longer.
Bama 35 Tennessee 21

10/28 @ Kentucky- The Cats have gotten a little better year by year and there's no denying it. They will put up a definite fight and I figure Tennessee will be a bit tired on their second road game in a row, but in true Kentucky fashion, they'll make mistakes down the stretch and Tennessee leaves with a bounce back victory.
Tennessee 31 Kentucky 17

11/4 vs Southern Miss- The Big Orange is back home after two road games and Southern Miss will be looking for the huge upset victory in the middle of a tough grind. There's nothing to see here though folks, let's move along.
Tennessee 42 Southern Miss 17

11/11 @ Mizzou- It'll be cold, there might even be some snow falling out of the night sky. Mizzou has went through some struggles, they're not the best team as of now, and Tennessee continues to roll after dropping a tough one to Alabama.
Tennessee 24 Mizzou 10

11/18 vs LSU- Everyone knows this will probably be a night game, LSU will most likely be sitting second in the west as I don't see Auburn rising to the occasion and giving Alabama a run. Neyland will be rocking, LSU is going to be a better team than everyone thinks. I honestly think this game is a slug fest, and it is a three point difference. LSU wins on a late field goal.
LSU 17 Tennessee 14

11/25 vs Vandy- The battle of the state will be on full display and The Vols will be more than ticked they were just handed their second loss. Tennessee should roll here with Atlanta on their mind.
Tennessee 30 Vandy 10

At the end of the season, Tennessee should be staring a 10-2 record right in the face, I say they win they East scraping by a 9-3 Florida team. Tennessee faces either Alabama or LSU right back in Atlanta where they started the season. Although it is tough to beat a team twice in one season, I think Tennessee comes up just short and finishes 10-3 with a really good bowl game and the best finish of Butch's tenure.
 
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#4
#4
Should the above play out as the OP suggests, what would the opinion be of Butch and his future?

"If" the season goes as the OP has described. I believe Butch will have earned his keep. However, there will still be those angry because we didn't beat Bama or LSU and lost in the SEC championship game.
 
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#7
#7
I see the season playing out much like the OP except I think the VOLS take LSU and lose one in the East (maybe Kentucky). Don't think Ga or Fl are gonna topple the Vols this season!
 
#9
#9
10 wins is 10 wins. The way things have gone in Knoxville for the last decade we should be thrilled with 10 wins.
The following conferences teams with 10 or more wins in 2016
ACC 3
AAC 3
Big 12 3
Big 10 3
Con USA 3
Mid 1
Mtn 2
Pac 12 4
SEC 1
Sun 1
 
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#10
#10
I like the optimism OP, but I doubt CBS would pass up a 1 loss UT team vs a 1 loss LSU team. This game has 3:30 written all over it. I do agree it will be a slugfest.
 
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#11
#11
A win in the swamp with a new QB and a first time ever OC? Bold prediction OP.

IF SS OR CUM were coaching the 2017 UF squad then it would be bold but I like our chances against Donkey Kong in the swamp. 2015 game should have been a win by UT if our D didn't blow it.
 
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#12
#12
I'd take a 10 win season... A win in Atlanta sure would top things off. I'm by no means predicting that. Taking into account all of the unknown variables, I'd say this team could finish 7-5, 10-2, or anywhere in between. I'm not ruling out a Bama win, either. Anything's possible...
 
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#17
#17
"If" the season goes as the OP has described. I believe Butch will have earned his keep. However, there will still be those angry because we didn't beat Bama or LSU and lost in the SEC championship game.

If Butch goes 10-2 this season with a close loss to LSU who in their right mind couldn't live with that?

If the season plays out like that then Butch's AND UT's future looks bright.
 
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#19
#19
If Butch goes 10-2 this season with a close loss to LSU who in their right mind couldn't live with that?

If the season plays out like that then Butch's AND UT's future looks bright.

Butch's biggest stumbling block is Butch himself. If this is the season he learns how to get out of his own way, it would show a level of personal and professional growth that is far beyond what he has exhibited over his career so far.
 
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#20
#20
Butch's biggest stumbling block is Butch himself. If this is the season he learns how to get out of his own way, it would show a level of personal and professional growth that is far beyond what he has exhibited over his career so far.

Agree. He needs to stop the "look over here and not over there" crap and coach his team. Even with the losses there's enough talent on this team to manage this schedule.
 
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#21
#21
I think we beat LSU. They have QB issues as usual. Plus they have a similar stretch to what we had last year, maybe tougher. @UF, then Auburn, then @Ole Miss, a bye, then @Bama, then Ark, then @UT.

That's a tough stretch and I like our chances with them coming out of that stretch.
 
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#22
#22
9/4 vs GA TECH (Neutral Site)- Without a doubt, the triple option offense is very tough to prepare for. The defense will get a million looks and even though you've gone over it a million times, it'll still be a tough task to completely shut down. I see a tight game for a bit, but eventually Tennessee pulls away in the new Georgia Dome. Tennessee 35 Georgia Tech 21

9/9 vs Indiana State- It's the home opener, the players will be a little fatigued on a very short turn around but don't expect much out of Indy State, Tennessee rolls, letting up a late score.
Tennessee 49 Indy State 7

9/16 @ Florida- The streak is officially over as of last season. Malik Zaire joins the Gators this week as a dangerous addition to the offense. We've all seen Zaire, he isn't always the sharpest tool in the shed but he can make plays. The defense is going to have to be in complete lockdown mode and again looking at a thousand different looks. At the end of the day, Zaire makes just one mistake too many and the streak bumps to two for the Vols.
Tennessee 24 Florida 17

9/23 vs Umass- The defense will get a bit of a break after a tough game down in the ever so much hated swamp. The offense will flourish, look for a big game in the air and on the ground. Tennessee rolls no problem.
Tennessee 56 Umass 3

9/30 vs UGA- Revenge will have been on the minds of the dawgs all summer long after the heartbreak in Athens last year. This will without a doubt be a trap game in Knoxville. Georgia boasts a returning Nick Chubb who looks to be in better shape than he was all last year. Georgia, like Tennessee though will be a little young this year and with this possibly being a afternoon or night game, Neyland will be rocking and Tennessee wins again.
Tennessee 28 Georgia 24

10/14 vs South Carolina- A much needed bye week will be key here and the theme of the game will once again be revenge, but on Tennessee's side this time. Let's face it, that loss to South Carolina was a fluke but was riddled with enough mistakes to allow Carolina's freshman qb pull off a great victory in Columbia. Tennessee may not roll here, but Muschamp just doesn't have the horses.
Tennessee 24 South Carolina 14

10/21 @ Alabama- Will this finally be the year? Will the drought finally end? Let's face it, it may be just a couple of more years. Alabama won't roll but they'll close it by a couple of scores as the clock dwindles down. It'll be a barn burner for sure with two undefeated teams, but we'll have to wait just a little longer.
Bama 35 Tennessee 21

10/28 @ Kentucky- The Cats have gotten a little better year by year and there's no denying it. They will put up a definite fight and I figure Tennessee will be a bit tired on their second road game in a row, but in true Kentucky fashion, they'll make mistakes down the stretch and Tennessee leaves with a bounce back victory.
Tennessee 31 Kentucky 17

11/4 vs Southern Miss- The Big Orange is back home after two road games and Southern Miss will be looking for the huge upset victory in the middle of a tough grind. There's nothing to see here though folks, let's move along.
Tennessee 42 Southern Miss 17

11/11 @ Mizzou- It'll be cold, there might even be some snow falling out of the night sky. Mizzou has went through some struggles, they're not the best team as of now, and Tennessee continues to roll after dropping a tough one to Alabama.
Tennessee 24 Mizzou 10

11/18 vs LSU- Everyone knows this will probably be a night game, LSU will most likely be sitting second in the west as I don't see Auburn rising to the occasion and giving Alabama a run. Neyland will be rocking, LSU is going to be a better team than everyone thinks. I honestly think this game is a slug fest, and it is a three point difference. LSU wins on a late field goal.
LSU 17 Tennessee 14

11/25 vs Vandy- The battle of the state will be on full display and The Vols will be more than ticked they were just handed their second loss. Tennessee should roll here with Atlanta on their mind.
Tennessee 30 Vandy 10

At the end of the season, Tennessee should be staring a 10-2 record right in the face, I say they win they East scraping by a 9-3 Florida team. Tennessee faces either Alabama or LSU right back in Atlanta where they started the season. Although it is tough to beat a team twice in one season, I think Tennessee comes up just short and finishes 10-3 with a really good bowl game and the best finish of Butch's tenure.

I think we lose in Gainesville but otherwise your predictions are pretty close to mine.
 
#23
#23
this is just a difficult year to predict. so many changes on field and on the sidelines, it's a lot to ask for it all to mesh and come together in a single off season.

i think most of the coaching changes were good ones, and i think there's a lot of potential from a talent standpoint.

so, IF we get more right answers than wrong, then i could see is exceeding expectations and winning 9+ games. if we don't, then i still think it's probably another 8-4/7-5 type season.

just hard to look at match ups right now and say we're definitively better at this/that position group when compared to the competition's groups against.
 
#24
#24
That was a fun read, NoSirEee, thanks.

Could flip-flop the FL and LSU results, which would put Atlanta at risk (FL would have to lose 3). So I like your version better. :good!:
 
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#25
#25
I think we beat LSU. They have QB issues as usual. Plus they have a similar stretch to what we had last year, maybe tougher. @UF, then Auburn, then @Ole Miss, a bye, then @Bama, then Ark, then @UT.

That's a tough stretch and I like our chances with them coming out of that stretch.

Great point, they should be pretty beat up by the time they get to Neyland. Of course, we'll have to see what kind of shape we're in at that point too.
 

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