Rough Schedule

#26
#26
9-3 would be another step forward with a bowl win. A lot of people here don't want to hear that and think we should go 11-1, but playing @ UGA, @ TAMU, Bama, and removing the UF curse all present challenges.
 
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#27
#27
This season's schedule is about as favorable as it gets really. For us atleast. Would anyone rather GA come to Neyland this year instead of the lizards?
 
#28
#28
fade route said:
9-3 would be another step forward with a bowl win. A lot of people here don't want to hear that and think we should go 11-1, but playing @ UGA, @ TAMU, Bama, and removing the UF curse all present challenges.
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I think they have a legit chance to split that gauntlet run.

If they don't win out after the open date, it'll be disappointing. They should be better than all of those teams. That makes 10-2 less than an outrageous prediction. It would hard to be disappointed with 9-3 though.

This, of course, assumes that they stay healthy. They're still not at the top of the food chain when it comes to depth.
 
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#30
#30
Injuries are the only thing that keeps us out of Atlanta IMO. If we have a scenario where we lose Hurd/Cam or Barnett/Dobbs or more than one significant injury, I'm still not convinced we are deep enough to recover from a rash of injuries. It's not just us. For 99% of teams, everything has to go right for a special season. But, Lord knows we are due.
 
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#32
#32
Always love the obligatory D4H "15-0 is a guarantee" post in every thread about the upcoming season.

Oh and how we are going to win back-to-back National titles.

Would love to see D4H put his money where his mouth is and take some Vegas odds on these "guarantees."
 
#33
#33
dduncan4163 said:
It could be brutal or it could end up not being all that tough. I say that because TAMU and UGA are big unknowns going into this season. UGA and TAMU both have loads of talent but UGA is going to be breaking in a new staff and QB and Sumlin is on a VERY hot seat in College Station.

I honestly don't know what to expect from either squad. They both have the talent to be in Atlanta but also have enough uncertainty to be a 6 or 7 win club.
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Could not agree more, trying to establish expectations is tough with those two teams.
 
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#35
#35
i've gone back and forth on this schedule thing, and i've come to the conclusion that it's not the opponents that make the schedule tough. we play 3 of those 4 every year, so we know what we're getting in to.

it's that they are consecutive that make it tough. as i look at GA and FL's schedule, you can make comparisons and see some equity...FL plays LSU, we play Bama....we both get them at home. is that a push? eh...i'll say playing Bama is harder. but it's not leaps and bounds. they're @ Ark, we're @aTm...which one is more difficult? the reality is we really don't know. i THINK aTm is more talented, but they're kind of a mess...so who knows.

then they are @TN, we're @ Ga...push? you could make the argument.

GA is @Ole Miss, We're @ aTm...on paper, @ Ole miss is tougher, but we get Bama, thney get Auburn...Bama hands down. plus they get us in Athens, we get FL in Knoxville...push? you could make the argument.

here's what's not in debate...neither GA or FL have to play a stretch of games like we do. and that is the thing that tips it for me. we don't get a patsy OOC game to get healthy or work out a kink, no bye week....not even a vandy or ky to split it up.

so opponent for opponent, there isn't a TON of difference. our schedules are actually pretty balanced from that standpoint.

the imbalance is where those games appear on the schedule....and that makes a difference.
 
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#36
#36
I separate high hopes from high expectations. Regardless of how many games we are actually favored in this year, there are quite a few swing games that will determine the season. It's football and that ball bounces awfully funny. I have high hopes but have learned to temper expectations. It's not like we've went out and proven to be a title contender as of yet but we do show great potential on paper.

Just remember, 10-2 doesn't mean we call to fire the head coach! I have a feeling that some people on here are getting delusional with "expectations". Don't run off the best thing that's happened to us in 10 years in the event we don't meet these conjured up expectations.
 
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#37
#37
jakez4ut said:
i've gone back and forth on this schedule thing, and i've come to the conclusion that it's not the opponents that make the schedule tough. we play 3 of those 4 every year, so we know what we're getting in to.

it's that they are consecutive that make it tough. as i look at GA and FL's schedule, you can make comparisons and see some equity...FL plays LSU, we play Bama....we both get them at home. is that a push? eh...i'll say playing Bama is harder. but it's not leaps and bounds. they're @ Ark, we're @aTm...which one is more difficult? the reality is we really don't know. i THINK aTm is more talented, but they're kind of a mess...so who knows.

then they are @TN, we're @ Ga...push? you could make the argument.

GA is @Ole Miss, We're @ aTm...on paper, @ Ole miss is tougher, but we get Bama, thney get Auburn...Bama hands down. plus they get us in Athens, we get FL in Knoxville...push? you could make the argument.

here's what's not in debate...neither GA or FL have to play a stretch of games like we do. and that is the thing that tips it for me. we don't get a patsy OOC game to get healthy or work out a kink, no bye week....not even a vandy or ky to split it up.

so opponent for opponent, there isn't a TON of difference. our schedules are actually pretty balanced from that standpoint.

the imbalance is where those games appear on the schedule....and that makes a difference.
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Until you're past those games, and then you get to hear all of the UGa and UF fans tell us how we have the easiest remaining schedule.

The schedule is what it is. Lots of sound arguments can always be made regarding it, but they almost always will -- and should -- land on deaf ears. No one else cares even a little bit.
 
#38
#38
We could have gone 9-3 last year if we played VT instead of Oklahoma. So how is going 9-3 with a deeper, more experienced and more talented team any sort of meaningful improvement?

Anybody who thinks 11-1 is unrealistic or delusional is out of sync with the players and coaches. CBJ has set expectations at 11 wins and the SECE Championship, and the players embrace that. Team leaders expect to be a playoff team. They're all-in. If they believe they can do it, fans should, too.
 
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#39
#39
SaintLouisVol said:
Until you're past those games, and then you get to hear all of the UGa and UF fans tell us how we have the easiest remaining schedule.

The schedule is what it is. Lots of sound arguments can always be made regarding it, but they almost always will -- and should -- land on deaf ears. No one else cares even a little bit.
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we do, and we always have. that's the thing.

that's the imbalance. no one ever screams about how easy the front part of GA's or FL's or Bama's schedule is, because of who they get to finish with.

it's the exact opposite for us.
 
#40
#40
LA Vol said:
We could have gone 9-3 last year if we played VT instead of Oklahoma. So how is going 9-3 with a deeper, more experienced and more talented team any sort of meaningful improvement?

Anybody who thinks 11-1 is unrealistic or delusional is out of sync with the players and coaches. CBJ has set expectations at 11 wins and the SECE Championship, and the players embrace that. Team leaders expect to be a playoff team. They're all-in. If they believe they can do it, fans should, too.
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No one on here is saying 11-1 is unreasonable or delusional. It's just there are way too many people acting like it's some bygone conclusion and nothing to worry about.

Our schedule is tough, this is a game of inches, and anything is possible, especially with the 4 game stretch we have. People believe in our team and expect we should make the SEC Title game. But it's not some guarantee that we will go 11-1/12-0 and make the playoffs like many suggest.
 
#41
#41
Look, anything less than 10-2 and winning the east is a failure this season. So you better at least split those four games stretch. Beating UGA amd UF are more important than Bama and A&M though. If you lose to UF and UGA, even if you go 10-2, there's a decent chance we might not win the east.
 
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#43
#43
UTK said:
Look, anything less than 10-2 and winning the east is a failure this season. So you better at least split those four games stretch. Beating UGA amd UF are more important than Bama and A&M though. If you lose to UF and UGA, even if you go 10-2, there's a decent chance we might not win the east.
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i think there's a portion of the fan base that needs to get used to the idea that it's a very real possibility that we could go 10-2, not go to ATL, and play in the Sugar Bowl or Orange bowl.

that won't be a failure. it'll be a little disappointing, but not a failure.

let's beat FL and see what we can do with the rest of the schedule.:thumbsup:
 
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#45
#45
VersaceButch said:
No one on here is saying 11-1 is unreasonable or delusional. It's just there are way too many people acting like it's some bygone conclusion and nothing to worry about.

Our schedule is tough, this is a game of inches, and anything is possible, especially with the 4 game stretch we have. People believe in our team and expect we should make the SEC Title game. But it's not some guarantee that we will go 11-1/12-0 and make the playoffs like many suggest.
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Absolutely, any outcome is possible on any given Saturday. Nobody has it easy in the SEC. Schedules are tough, all teams are talented and many games are elite against elite.

There are no guarantees, but there are goals and expectations. The team sets them, and fans should support them. There's no reason to back away from expectations now. Confidence is a big part of winning, and the players and coaches seem very confident. Been a while since we had that.
 
#46
#46
fade route said:
9-3 would be another step forward with a bowl win. A lot of people here don't want to hear that and think we should go 11-1, but playing @ UGA, @ TAMU, Bama, and removing the UF curse all present challenges.
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We were a couple of epic collapses from being 10-2 last year.

How could going 9-3 be a step forward?

IMO the floor for this team next year is 10-2. The expectation should be 11-1 or better.
 
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#47
#47
Fresnovol said:
We aren't talking about it but our schedule before the buy week is tough. I'm just hoping for a fast start this year..
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We play seven games to start the season against teams that were in bowls last season ending that string with NC Alabama. Yes, it is a tough stretch, but then we are the next great Tennessee team.
 
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