The “We’re gonna whip them” and “to be the man you have to beat the man” stuff is nonsense. Our SEC conference schedule is tough enough. Playing OU for the third time since 2010 is dumb. We are not where we need to be to play those games. I’d rather play those teams in a bowl game when it matters. Scheduling those games prevents us from getting to those bowl games. Might as well schedule Clemson week 1 while we are at it.
all games matter...
and it's no big deal to play a great opponent now and then, you can never predict how someone will be 5 to 10 to 15 years down the road...
Nebraska just played for a National title when we scheduled them in upcoming years, Oregon was an average mediocre program when we scheduled them. We scheduled Ohio St (before they cancelled on us), it just doesnt matter.
Scheduling a Power 5 opponent these days isnt like in the 1970s thru early 90's when we could schedule 3 or 4 of them, because teams like Oklahoma St, Texas Tech, Utah, Penn St, Duke, etc would come to Neyland to play without even requesting a home game in return.
Now it's either got to be a straight home/home series (which Tennessee won't stoop to and lose money by playing someone like Wake Forest, Indiana, Iowa St, etc on the road) or one of those opening neutral site games like WVU, Va Tech, etc.
but as far as these games go, from here on out, Tennessee will ONLY schedule one of these opponents in those two categories, so get used to it:
Tennessee will play home/homes against:
Clemson, Louisville, Florida St, Boston College, Syracuse, Miami, Pittsburgh, UNC, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, WVU, Texas, TCU, Ohio St, Penn St, Michigan, Michigan St, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, BYU, Notre Dame, Oregon, California, Washington, Stanford, Utah, USC, UCLA, Arizona St, Colorado, Arizona
Neutral Site/Neyland games only against:
Wake Forest, Virginia, Virginia Tech, NC State, Duke, Baylor, Kansas St, Iowa St, Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers, Minnesota, Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Oregon St, Wash State
NON-P5 Teams that Tennessee would consider playing neutral sites:
Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis, Navy, Houston, Army, Boise St, Air Force, Hawaii
That's pretty much it...every one else will definitely be at home from now until eternity