10-2 is a distinct possibility.

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Look at this schedule. Our road slate is cake. Could we slip up at Willie B or Kyle Field? Sure, but I don't think we will with the strength of our team being the defense. Home games? Alabama looks tough: we will find out more next week. LSU has not impressed me. I think we split those.

Kentucky plays us tough at the grocery store, not so much in Neyland typically. Vanderbilt will be reminded of the order of things at season's end.

Last week I started thinking 9-3 was a real possibility. This week I feel more confident in that and I'm inching closer to 10-2. Feel free to rant and rave and tell me to "pump the breaks" (it's "brakes," by the way) and all the other usual bs, I don't really care. Calling it like I see it.

 

[GBO2011]

Look at this schedule. Our road slate is cake. Could we slip up at Willie B or Kyle Field? Sure, but I don't think we will with the strength of our team being the defense. Home games? Alabama looks tough: we will find out more next week. LSU has not impressed me. I think we split those.

Kentucky plays us tough at the grocery store, not so much in Neyland typically. Vanderbilt will be reminded of the order of things at season's end.

Last week I started thinking 9-3 was a real possibility. This week I feel more confident in that and I'm inching closer to 10-2. Feel free to rant and rave and tell me to "pump the breaks" (it's "brakes," by the way) and all the other usual bs, I don't really care. Calling it like I see it.

I concur. Been saying we can win 10 games if we play complementary football, and we saw some of that in the second half

 

[Volanta]

Look at this schedule. Our road slate is cake. Could we slip up at Willie B or Kyle Field? Sure, but I don't think we will with the strength of our team being the defense. Home games? Alabama looks tough: we will find out more next week. LSU has not impressed me. I think we split those.

Kentucky plays us tough at the grocery store, not so much in Neyland typically. Vanderbilt will be reminded of the order of things at season's end.

Last week I started thinking 9-3 was a real possibility. This week I feel more confident in that and I'm inching closer to 10-2. Feel free to rant and rave and tell me to "pump the breaks" (it's "brakes," by the way) and all the other usual bs, I don't really care. Calling it like I see it.

With this defense we can upset a lotta folks

 

[VolAllen]

I’m sticking with my original 8-4.

 

[Johnny Ringo]

Man, I see you post a lot. I've got no beef here.

I don't know where in the world some of you all pull stuff like this from. This team has yet to prove they aren't one-dimensional on offense. If Tennessee can't run, they can't score. Not against good teams. It's also really hard to do when the alleged veteran OL group is getting their asses blown off the ball by everyone from Furman to Auburn.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Defense will keep us in every game. I’m not giving up on 11-1.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Look at this schedule. Our road slate is cake. Could we slip up at Willie B or Kyle Field? Sure, but I don't think we will with the strength of our team being the defense. Home games? Alabama looks tough: we will find out more next week. LSU has not impressed me. I think we split those.

Kentucky plays us tough at the grocery store, not so much in Neyland typically. Vanderbilt will be reminded of the order of things at season's end.

Last week I started thinking 9-3 was a real possibility. This week I feel more confident in that and I'm inching closer to 10-2. Feel free to rant and rave and tell me to "pump the breaks" (it's "brakes," by the way) and all the other usual bs, I don't really care. Calling it like I see it.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Man, I see you post a lot. I've got no beef here.

I don't know where in the world some of you all pull stuff like this from. This team has yet to prove they aren't one-dimensional on offense. If Tennessee can't run, they can't score. Not against good teams. It's also really hard to do when the alleged veteran OL group is getting their asses blown off the ball by everyone from Furman to Auburn.

Idk, Johnny Ringo, I'm just looking at what's on the schedule and right now Bama is the only team I'd pick to beat us. LSU is a coin flip. We could fall on our face a couple times and go 8-4, but with the way the defense looks I just think good things are coming. It will be very interesting to see what GMac looks like after a week of practice as qb1. Arkansas is the perfect opponent for his first start too.

It's also worth noting that we had a largely one-dimensional offense in 2024 and ugly-won our way to 10-2 that year too.

 

[Johnny Ringo]

Idk, Johnny Ringo, I'm just looking at what's on the schedule and right now Bama is the only team I'd pick to beat us. LSU is a coin flip. We could fall on our face a couple times and go 8-4, but with the way the defense looks I just think good things are coming. It will be very interesting to see what GMac looks like after a week of practice as qb1. Arkansas is the perfect opponent for his first start too.

It's also worth noting that we had a largely one-dimensional offense in 2024 and ugly-won our way to 10-2 that year too.

I sincerely hope you're right. I really do. I just don't see it.

 

[NeverWe'llSever]

I don’t expect 10-2. We’ll probably take at least 2 more L’s, I think, because of the QB situation. A couple teams will figure out a way to stop our run game enough to win. But the path to 8 or 9 wins looks very doable now. Arkansas is horrific. South Carolina may have fired their coach by the time the Vols roll into town. A&M is mediocre. Vandy lost to this Auburn team. History says Kentucky is a win until proven otherwise (especially at home). The schedule doesn’t look nearly as daunting as it did in the offseason.

 

[GoVols64]

It’s GMac’s team now. He was getting the ball out faster off the bench and Auburn had to respect the deep ball. 11 was swimming and I can’t blame him after last week. He’ll recover but we cannot win being one dimensional.

We will see what GMac can do with first team reps. I’m hopeful his experience keeps us balanced. If we can’t push the ball downfield 10-2 is a pipe dream.

Not being negative but Bama, aTm, and LSU will require our absolute best football.

Realistically we drop one of those games tbh. 9-3 or 8-4 is likely if we play like this again.

That D tho….. so good to see an aggressive squad that, for the most part, tackles well and plays sound coverage.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

It’s GMac’s team now. He was getting the ball out faster off the bench and Auburn had to respect the deep ball. 11 was swimming and I can’t blame him after last week. He’ll recover but we cannot win being one dimensional.

We will see what GMac can do with first team reps. I’m hopeful his experience keeps us balanced. If we can’t push the ball downfield 10-2 is a pipe dream.

Not being negative but Bama, aTm, and LSU will require our absolute best football.

Realistically we drop one of those games tbh. 9-3 or 8-4 is likely if we play like this again.

That D tho….. so good to see an aggressive squad that, for the most part, tackles well and plays sound coverage.

I think you're overrating A&M, but mostly I agree. I think we will have the capability to push the ball downfield in the passing game with GMac, but time will tell. He did what was asked of him today as a passer, no more, no less.

 

[GoVols64]

I think you're overrating A&M, but mostly I agree. I think we will have the capability to push the ball downfield in the passing game with GMac, but time will tell. He did what was asked of him today as a passer, no more, no less.

Maybe, but the talent is there. Depends on how Reed plays and it’s on their field. Just feel it will take a complete game for us to win against the better teams.

Agreed on GMac. Impressive he did it off the bench.

 

[BleedingOrangeInChatt]

It’s GMac’s team now. He was getting the ball out faster off the bench and Auburn had to respect the deep ball. 11 was swimming and I can’t blame him after last week. He’ll recover but we cannot win being one dimensional.

We will see what GMac can do with first team reps. I’m hopeful his experience keeps us balanced. If we can’t push the ball downfield 10-2 is a pipe dream.

Not being negative but Bama, aTm, and LSU will require our absolute best football.

Realistically we drop one of those games tbh. 9-3 or 8-4 is likely if we play like this again.

That D tho….. so good to see an aggressive squad that, for the most part, tackles well and plays sound coverage.

What a&m team have you been watching? They arent exactly lighting it up. I get Bama and Lsu but if A&M plays like they have been they are extremely beatable. Luckily we get bama and lsu at home. That should give us a chance in both games. Bama looks tough though

 

[GoVols64]

What a&m team have you been watching? They arent exactly lighting it up. I get Bama and Lsu but if A&M plays like they have been they are extremely beatable. Luckily we get bama and lsu at home. That should give us a chance in both games. Bama looks tough though

The one that ripped Arkansas tonight. I agree they aren’t great but that’s not my point.

If we go into Kyle Field and get one dimensional we won’t win. They have talent and can be a good football team if they put it together.

Again, not saying we lose. We just need to play complimentary football against the aTms, LSUs, and Bamas to get Ws.

 

[HeuperDrive]

While I think we still take two more L's, if Gmac can lead a competent offense, couple that with our elite defense and we can beat anybody left on our schedule.

Excited to see what Gmac does from here on either way. The offense having a pulse in the second half was very promising.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Very impressed with the defense. They are better than the ’24 bunch too I think.

 

[JAllen18]

Really impressed with Dye and Gilliam, and the Linebackers are elite. Metcalfe and Lane are ballers too.

Need the O-line to play like 2nd Half O-Line of the game for the rest of the season and I could see 9-3 as QB's and WRs will be better.

 

[BearCat204]

We are an extremely long way from 10 wins

 

[Chad F]

After watching today, I am not confident we should be favored in any of our remaining games except maybe Arkansas. But who knows?

 

[VolArmy74]

After watching today, I am not confident we should be favored in any of our remaining games except maybe Arkansas. But who knows?

Tennessee is currently per FPI favored at 66 percent to win at South Carolina, 80 percent to beat Kentucky, 52 percent to beat A&M, 80 percent to beat Vandy, and 85 percent vs Arkansas. So we are likely to be favorites in at minimum 5 of our remaining 7 games.

I could see A&M being favored at home if they can right their ship. I could also see us being favored in Neyland vs LSU with some slight improvement on offense. That game is basically 54/46 in favor of LSU right now.

The defense is currently playing at an elite level. It's always funny how often that's disregarded vs an offense that scores big with a so-so defense.

 

[Emperor VOLpatine]

Man, I see you post a lot. I've got no beef here.

I don't know where in the world some of you all pull stuff like this from. This team has yet to prove they aren't one-dimensional on offense. If Tennessee can't run, they can't score. Not against good teams. It's also really hard to do when the alleged veteran OL group is getting their asses blown off the ball by everyone from Furman to Auburn.

We went 10-2 and went to the playoffs 2 years ago with a very one dimensional offense and under performing young QB. Also I know this post was yesterday but the OL problems seemed to magically disappear once we put Gmac in so maybe it really was Brandon causing it

 

[Johnny Ringo]

We went 10-2 and went to the playoffs 2 years ago with a very one dimensional offense and under performing young QB. Also I know this post was yesterday but the OL problems seemed to magically disappear once we put Gmac in so maybe it really was Brandon causing it

Two years ago we were getting more than 86 passing yards per game against bottom tier SEC teams though.

 

[feathersax]

We are an extremely long way from 10 wins

....as is everybody else in SEC football this season. Every Saturday is like Mike Keith describe yesterday's game: "A fist-fight in a phone booth".

 

[rdk4121]

Bama's offense feels like it is too good right now, but with the crowd effect and the fact they're coming off playing Georgia, you never know.

We really need G-Mac to settle into the role next week. South Carolina has nothing going for them. The only way they win is if they fire Beamer after next week and get a boost from having an interim coach. I'm hoping they keep him one more week and we can be the ones to get him fired.

LSU is the only game outside of Bama where they probably have a talent edge on us. A&M's season still feels like it is going off a cliff.