Today's game is an inflection point

[UTFranklinVol]

Yeah unfortunately today's game is THAT big.

I expect that Tennessee will be up 21-0 very early in this game. not predicting a win but I expect Heupel to empty the playbook and be extremely aggressive today since we don't have the playoff to prepare for.

I think the stakes for this game are enormous given what the post-mortem of our season will be in both cases. I can't remember ever a time when the Vanderbilt game defined our season.

if we win, we have a decent win on our resume and a 9-3 regular season with a chance for a 10 win season and a chance for a moderately respectable bowl game in Florida. we still choked away 3 games but we have SOMETHING to hold on to. something to say 2023 was the floor of Huepel's career and we don't go below that floor.

if we lose, we didn't beat ANY D1 team with a winning record or any ranked teams. Finish 8-4 and get the Dukes Mayo bowl or Music City bowl. I don't think it's hyperbole to say the season would be an abject failure and a gigantic step backward.i really begin to worry about some of our higher level recruits if this happens. People like to say well what would Tennessee's record be if we had Indiana's schedule or Texas A&M. but if you can't manage to beat Vanderbilt on your home field those hypotheticals make you look kind of silly.

Here is to hoping Josh Huepel takes care of business and understands the assignment.

GB!

 

[Go47]

Agree.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

I agree with almost every word (not sure if we get ahead by 3 scores today). This game is truly a "pass/fail" indicator on the 2025 season.

 

[bigdaddy]

Not sure we will be up 21-0. See this more of a one score game all the way. Probably the best te Vandy has ever had since the invention of the automobile

 

[Rickyvol77]

Yeah unfortunately today's game is THAT big.

I expect that Tennessee will be up 21-0 very early in this game. not predicting a win but I expect Heupel to empty the playbook and be extremely aggressive today since we don't have the playoff to prepare for.

I think the stakes for this game are enormous given what the post-mortem of our season will be in both cases. I can't remember ever a time when the Vanderbilt game defined our season.

if we win, we have a decent win on our resume and a 9-3 regular season with a chance for a 10 win season and a chance for a moderately respectable bowl game in Florida. we still choked away 3 games but we have SOMETHING to hold on to. something to say 2023 was the floor of Huepel's career and we don't go below that floor.

if we lose, we didn't beat ANY D1 team with a winning record or any ranked teams. Finish 8-4 and get the Dukes Mayo bowl or Music City bowl. I don't think it's hyperbole to say the season would be an abject failure and a gigantic step backward.i really begin to worry about some of our higher level recruits if this happens. People like to say well what would Tennessee's record be if we had Indiana's schedule or Texas A&M. but if you can't manage to beat Vanderbilt on your home field those hypotheticals make you look kind of silly.

Here is to hoping Josh Huepel takes care of business and understands the assignment.

GB!

Trying to get out early on your fencepost huh?

"If Tennessee isn't winning 21-0 clearly we have issues" You are predictable as the sun coming up

 

[jasonvol18]

Yeah unfortunately today's game is THAT big.

I expect that Tennessee will be up 21-0 very early in this game. not predicting a win but I expect Heupel to empty the playbook and be extremely aggressive today since we don't have the playoff to prepare for.

I think the stakes for this game are enormous given what the post-mortem of our season will be in both cases. I can't remember ever a time when the Vanderbilt game defined our season.

if we win, we have a decent win on our resume and a 9-3 regular season with a chance for a 10 win season and a chance for a moderately respectable bowl game in Florida. we still choked away 3 games but we have SOMETHING to hold on to. something to say 2023 was the floor of Huepel's career and we don't go below that floor.

if we lose, we didn't beat ANY D1 team with a winning record or any ranked teams. Finish 8-4 and get the Dukes Mayo bowl or Music City bowl. I don't think it's hyperbole to say the season would be an abject failure and a gigantic step backward.i really begin to worry about some of our higher level recruits if this happens. People like to say well what would Tennessee's record be if we had Indiana's schedule or Texas A&M. but if you can't manage to beat Vanderbilt on your home field those hypotheticals make you look kind of silly.

Here is to hoping Josh Huepel takes care of business and understands the assignment.

GB!

Absolutely! The disturbing fact is, if we do lose today we are 0-4 vs ranked teams. We wouldn't have beaten a team with a winning record and the record of the teams we've beaten is 25-52. The ones saying this is a rebuilding year are clueless. In year 5, there are no rebuilding years for the better teams. There's no excuse for going 0-3 at home vs ranked teams. If we had 3 road losses vs ranked teams that's one thing, but not at home.

 

[VOLtaism]

Yeah unfortunately today's game is THAT big.

I expect that Tennessee will be up 21-0 very early in this game. not predicting a win but I expect Heupel to empty the playbook and be extremely aggressive today since we don't have the playoff to prepare for.

I think the stakes for this game are enormous given what the post-mortem of our season will be in both cases. I can't remember ever a time when the Vanderbilt game defined our season.

if we win, we have a decent win on our resume and a 9-3 regular season with a chance for a 10 win season and a chance for a moderately respectable bowl game in Florida. we still choked away 3 games but we have SOMETHING to hold on to. something to say 2023 was the floor of Huepel's career and we don't go below that floor.

if we lose, we didn't beat ANY D1 team with a winning record or any ranked teams. Finish 8-4 and get the Dukes Mayo bowl or Music City bowl. I don't think it's hyperbole to say the season would be an abject failure and a gigantic step backward.i really begin to worry about some of our higher level recruits if this happens. People like to say well what would Tennessee's record be if we had Indiana's schedule or Texas A&M. but if you can't manage to beat Vanderbilt on your home field those hypotheticals make you look kind of silly.

Here is to hoping Josh Huepel takes care of business and understands the assignment.

GB!

We gave them a 14 point lead before we started playing last year and still beat them handily. I don't think we get down 14 in this game.

 

[sami]

The perfect meeting spot for all the nega-trolls on gameday morning to prepare their "told you so's" just in case.

 

[UTFranklinVol]

Trying to get out early on your fencepost huh?

"If Tennessee isn't winning 21-0 clearly we have issues" You are predictable as the sun coming up

the score of the the game isnt as important as the outcome. we aren't in the playoff so style points no longer count. I just expect that Huepel will be super aggressive to put Pavia in a must-pass situation.

 

[Rickyvol77]

Absolutely! The disturbing fact is, if we do lose today we are 0-4 vs ranked teams. We wouldn't have beaten a team with a winning record and the record of the teams we've beaten is 25-52. The ones saying this is a rebuilding year are clueless. In year 5, there are no rebuilding years for the better teams. There's no excuse for going 0-3 at home vs ranked teams. If we had 3 road losses vs ranked teams that's one thing, but not at home.

oh no....how could this be? the horrors......just like if we had lost to UK like you predicted...imagine how awful that would've been!

or if New Mexico State beat us?

can you imagine???

 

[Rickyvol77]

The perfect meeting spot for all the nega-trolls on gameday morning to prepare their "told you so's" just in case.

They did the same thing last week..

"we won't be Florida, Swamp owns us, Heupel can't win big road night games, etc"

Tennessee dominates and what do they say...?

"Florida sucks, you are bragging about beating a 3 win team??? we should've won.."

It's comical at this point

 

[UTFranklinVol]

They did the same thing last week..

"we won't be Florida, Swamp owns us, Heupel can't win big road night games, etc"

Tennessee dominates and what do they say...?

"Florida sucks, you are bragging about beating a 3 win team??? we should've won.."

It's comical at this point

yeah you didn't see me saying any of that

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

It's really an odd year because most years we'd be arguing over when Heupel should let G-Mac and Merk get some reps.

It's like having a daughter grow up. I'm not ready for Vandy to look like this.......

 

[sami]

They did the same thing last week..

"we won't be Florida, Swamp owns us, Heupel can't win big road night games, etc"

Tennessee dominates and what do they say...?

"Florida sucks, you are bragging about beating a 3 win team??? we should've won.."

It's comical at this point

It stopped being comical a long time ago. It just makes this board toxic unless we're unbeaten and the trolls are still under their bridges.

 

[Firebirdparts]

well, okay, but people graduate eventually. You have to recreate your team over and over. Results of the day don't really make all that much difference. It's more about did you win 75% or your games or did you win 80%. or whatever.

 

[Oldblood]

A win is a win and I would take a one point win over Vandy for sure. BUT, if we can find a way to dominate them (beat them by 2-3 scores), it bodes very well for us. Dominating two of your big rivals to close out the season is big. It would also keep Heupel undefeated against Kentucky and Vandy.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Trying to get out early on your fencepost huh?

"If Tennessee isn't winning 21-0 clearly we have issues" You are predictable as the sun coming up

If only we could all be like you and convince ourselves that Heupel is like a college Lombardi (only better probably) and feel absolutely confident that we're going to win every game and yet somehow feel like 8-4 is a great season and we shouldn't expect more.

 

[Rickyvol77]

If only we could all be like you and convince ourselves that Heupel is like a college Lombardi (only better probably) and feel absolutely confident that we're going to win every game and yet somehow feel like 8-4 is a great season and we shouldn't expect more.

I actually said at the beginning of the season I thought we would be 10-2 but could see 9-3 depending on other factors (i.e. QB, WR growth, and Defensive injuries). We have been competitive in every single game even against top 10 teams, (you could argue Bama but i would say if not for the interception return fiasco at half, it would've been even closer if not winnable)

I also didn't say Heupel was Lombardi, but I also have watched college football enough to see our program is doing well and has been a meteoritic rise over the last 5 seasons.

I too recognize that losing close games to Top 5 teams isn't some huge indictment on CJH who continues to succeed as one of the winningest HCs in the country,

We aren't 8-4 and won't be...we will be 9-3 with a great chance at beating a good Big Ten or ACC team for yet ANOTHER 10 win season and just finish right outside the playoff...not our goals, but still a good year.

Sorry if that makes you upset

 

[VolBricks]

I hope we don't get up 21-0. If we do Heupel will shut down the offense and we will lose this ball game. I would like to see us get up like 17-7 and just keep that 10 point lead all second half.

By the way, with aTm losing to TX I do not think Vandy has a chance of making the playoffs now. There are so many things that would have to fall in place the odds are higher than Josh Dobbs can calculate.

 

[Rickyvol77]

I hope we don't get up 21-0. If we do Heupel will shut down the offense and we will lose this ball game. I would like to see us get up like 17-7 and just keep that 10 point lead all second half.

By the way, with aTm losing to TX I do not think Vandy has a chance of making the playoffs now. There are so many things that would have to fall in place the odds are higher than Josh Dobbs can calculate.

Vandy was never at any point going to make the playoffs and those with a brain knew this

 

[Sudden Impact]

This has been a tough year to go figure it out.
New players and old.
Nico and Boo, there is no telling how the locker room was in this situation.
What's more, we added JA as a late sub for Nico in one of the most critical positions on the team.
The injuries contributed to the Chaos as well.
There is probably more that we don't even know about as fans.
Rebuild year complicated by personnel turnover and injuries.
Our youth and coaching showed and gave away the 3 games we lost.
Yes, we struggled with Ms State, Arkansas, but we are one play away in our three losses from being undefeated going into this game.
What's more is that CJH is a good coach. Sure he will reflect/correct some of his mistakes this year going forward in Game management...
A lot of moving pieces.
It is easy to sit back and critique analyze this and with that said most predicted 8-4 season to a 9-3 season. 3 loses that could be wins with a more experienced club.
Recruiting is good right now and looking better than the years we spent in the bottom of the pack.

 

[Rocky Top T]

If only we could all be like you and convince ourselves that Heupel is like a college Lombardi (only better probably) and feel absolutely confident that we're going to win every game and yet somehow feel like 8-4 is a great season and we shouldn't expect more.

I agree with you

 

[Rickyvol77]

I agree with you

Yes because you like strawmen arguments which you don't actually read the posts too

 

[BruisedOrange]

It's really an odd year because most years we'd be arguing over when Heupel should let G-Mac and Merk get some reps.

It's like having a daughter grow up. I'm not ready for Vandy to look like this.......

Wonderful analogy!

In the '60s "Made in Japan" was synonymous with cheaply manufactured. But in the '70s when the petro-economy changed (just as NIL changed the SEC economy), gradually--then all of a sudden--cars made in Japan were recognized for their efficiency, value, and quality.

Gradually--then all of a sudden--the word (expletive) "Vandy" is not synonymous with failure, ineptitude, or fielding 1 or 2 star players with no supporting cast. Today's Vandy is a team to be reckoned with.

Big Orange traditionalists may cast their traditional aspersions at Vandy to stoke good feelings pre-game, but understand that it they get a strike on that cast, it may be more Musky than bluegill they have to reel in. So set your drag accordingly!

Today's game is a legitimate and earned battle for mid-upper level predator status in the SEC food chain. I think for SEC teams right now, like corporations in the '80s, you're either moving up or you're moving down.

[history lesson/off]

 

[Delmar]

Inflection point????