11-1 (7-1)

[ETV]

Lots of variables involved with every season, but looking better for 2015. However, Oklahoma will be no pushover and Florida has had our number...for 10 straight years. UT will have to minimize the mistakes, keep the tempo up and play fast to win both games.

Arkansas is a potential trap game sandwiched in between Florida and Georgia, especially if UT wins in Gainesville the week before. I believe Georgia could be a close contest again that may not be favorable for Tennessee. Then Alabama week after the open date.

The first half of the season is loaded with good to top teams and if UT can get thru that stretch with minimal injuries and catch a few breaks, possibly winning one or two they're not supposed to, then I'd predict Tennesse will be playing in a NYD bowl game or better.

 

[SouthernSmoke]

7-5 with our schedule is a real posibility. The Vols are still a year away from greatness. Don't call for Butch's head on a platter when UT loses to UF again in the Swamp. I can count on my hand the number of times UT has beat UF in the swamp the last 30 years.

Losing to FL again? In that case, I cant promise anything.

 

[LittleVol]

Do you play for UT? What is we? We is for team members and coaches, not fans!! I am a UT fan and I have been for 40 years, but I'm not on the team. Therefore, I never say WE!

UT could go 11-1 or they could go 7-5. UT Football has been nothing but underachievers against UF. That was the case last year, and will probably be the case again this season in the Swamp. UT always gets UF's best effort of the season, and I expect nothing different this year. If UT does win in the Swamp they will truely be a very special team.

...?
Anyway, Florida has been one of the top programs in the country for the past 20 years. Underachieving? How is losing to a more talented team underachieving??

Florida would have been 8-5 had they not cancelled a game last year. We were 7-6.

 

[sanddune50]

They don't have to beat us 10 out of 10 times, just once.

Some of you are in for a huge disappointment...

Or maybe some of you are disappointed before the season starts. You act as if you know how the games will play out and not one team has played this year. I love how the pessimists on this board think they have it all figured out.

 

[sanddune50]

I admitted the bowl game was impressive. I'll add that the Kentucky game was impressive.

South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Missouri weren't.

Missouri and Vandy were 2 games where half the team was out with injuries. The logical part of your evaluation of the Vols goes out the window when it becomes clear that your knowledge of the team is through box scores. You also had a team starting more freshmen than any other program in the country. So are you suggesting that players don't get better from their freshmen to sophomore years? That live game experience doesn't matter?

I'll also point out, with Dobbs, Tennessee beats Florida by 2 scores last year. Not to mention, they about upset UGA in Athens and probably would have had Peterman not went 3 and out on offense for a full quarter of play. So for every South Carolina game there were other games they could have very easily won. The record is what it was. But to act as if Tennessee is the same team as last year reveals why Florida's fan base unearths some of the most disconnected fans when it comes to understanding the game of football.

 

[VolNRaleighNC]

Or maybe some of you are disappointed before the season starts. You act as if you know how the games will play out and not one team has played this year. I love how the pessimists on this board think they have it all figured out.

Well some REALISTS (often referred to as "pessimists") like myself are cautiously optimistic. I think 9-3 would be a big improvement but am not naive to think that all the breaks will go our way or that we won't have any injuries during the season. We have talent and more depth than we've had in years but if we suffer a key injury or two to key positions where the depth is not quite up to par yet then we could be looking down the barrel of another 7-5 season. I'd be ecstatic with 9-3 or better but think 8-4 is the most realistic. I'll gladly eat crow at the end of the season but I don't think 2015 is quite the year that we put it all together to win the SEC East but I'm hoping we will.

 

[Behr]

7-5 with our schedule is a real posibility. The Vols are still a year away from greatness. Don't call for Butch's head on a platter when UT loses to UF again in the Swamp. I can count on my hand the number of times UT has beat UF in the swamp the last 30 years.

5-7 is a real possibility too.

I don't expect that, but anyone that doesn't think it could happen is crazy.

Oklahoma.... a gimmie?
Florida...It's Florida and at the swamp.
Georgia....favorite by a lot of people to win the East.
Alabama....most I've seen have this as a loss.
Arkansas....cupcake with no chance to beat us?
Missouri...East champs last 2 years.
South Carolina....No way Spurrier wants revenge and wins this, right?

Hey, I don't expect us to lose all of those, I just hope Butch is the better coach on the days we play each of those teams. I have a lot of confidence in the team.

I also feel like the Okie game is the biggest "key game" to the rest of the season. I have been wrong before. Often.

Yes, I use us, we and our when talking about the Vols even though I don't have any physical position on the team now or ever. Just habit.

I predict 8-4 with losses to Ok, Ga, Al, & Mz. I won't be surprised at 10-2 (losses to Ok & Bama).

Although devastated, I won't be completely surprised at 5-7 either. I'll feel better about beating Florida if we beat Oklahoma. Lose to Okie and the Fl game gets scary, lose to Fl then I'm depressed the rest of the year.

Oh well, just flappin my gums.

 

[sanddune50]

Well some REALISTS (often referred to as "pessimists") like myself are cautiously optimistic. I think 9-3 would be a big improvement but am not naive to think that all the breaks will go our way or that we won't have any injuries during the season. We have talent and more depth than we've had in years but if we suffer a key injury or two to key positions where the depth is not quite up to par yet then we could be looking down the barrel of another 7-5 season. I'd be ecstatic with 9-3 or better but think 8-4 is the most realistic. I'll gladly eat crow at the end of the season but I don't think 2015 is quite the year that we put it all together to win the SEC East but I'm hoping we will.

There's nothing realistic in guessing how a season will play out before games are even played.

 

[volfox72]

5-7 is a real possibility too.

I don't expect that, but anyone that doesn't think it could happen is crazy.

It is certainly possible, but IMO is very unlikely. The only realistic way 5-7 happens is if we get MAJOR injuries at key positions early in the season.

Realistically, given the below:

• 
  Increase in depth and talent across the board (back to back top 5-10 recruiting classes)

• The added experience and returning starters (18 on both sides of the ball)

• A more favorable schedule (OK at home, GA at home, SC at home, bye week before Bama, and what appears to be a downturn in SEC East competition)

We should expect more wins than last year. I think 8-4 is very achievable. 9-3 is within range, and 7-5 would be a disappointment, but still progress from last year's 6-6 record.

Yes, I use us, we and our when talking about the Vols even though I don't have any physical position on the team now or ever. Just habit.

#VFL

I predict 8-4 with losses to Ok, Ga, Al, & Mz. I won't be surprised at 10-2 (losses to Ok & Bama).

I'm thinking 8-4 is the most likely scenario. I'd flip Mizzou as a W and Ark as a L.

 

[VolNRaleighNC]

There's nothing realistic in guessing how a season will play out before games are even played.

True. Probably miscommunication my thoughts. I feel realistic with what will happen over the course of the season. Injuries and good/bad breaks (luck) will inevitably occur. These pundits (sunshine pumpers) who think just because we are "favored" in 11 of 12 games (from whatever source) on paper then that's how the season will play out is just not reality.

The games have to be played, of course. Will I be ecstatic if I'm proven wrong? Absolutely. We're all rooting for the same team at the end of the day. No sweat off my back if I'm wrong. Just probably means they are a better team if I am wrong.

 

[sanddune50]

True. Probably miscommunication my thoughts. I feel realistic with what will happen over the course of the season. Injuries and good/bad breaks (luck) will inevitably occur. These pundits (sunshine pumpers) who think just because we are "favored" in 11 of 12 games (from whatever source) on paper then that's how the season will play out is just not reality.

The games have to be played, of course. Will I be ecstatic if I'm proven wrong? Absolutely. We're all rooting for the same team at the end of the day. No sweat off my back if I'm wrong. Just probably means they are a better team if I am wrong.

I would agree with that. And I would say a 8 win season not counting the bowl game should be considered a good season.

 

[gunner]

UT has toss up games against Oklahoma, at UF, Arkansas, Georgia, SC, and at Mizzou. Not to mention an almost certain loss at Bama. Getting to 10 wins with that schedule would be very difficult for any team, much less a team made up of mostly Freshman and Sophmores.

 

[governmentmule]

well i was going with 6 wins this year,but I'm up to 7 now,I don't see the Vols winning 10 games,i do hope it happens,but it is highly doubtful

injuries are the key to this years teams success,a few injuries in the wrong places and it will be a crappy year

lets hope Dobbs has learned to get out of bounds and when to do a decent slide,or his year will be a short one

and I don't expect the very talented freshmen to have much of an impact either,lets face it,freshmen usually don't do well in the SEC and I don't think that will change this year,one or maybe 2 might be able to step up,hopefully we don't have to find out due to injuries

it would be great to be able to red shirt the Ol and DL freshmen

 

[Forever151]

After watching open practice I believe this is possable now but I say 9-3 is what we do

 

[sanddune50]

well i was going with 6 wins this year,but I'm up to 7 now,I don't see the Vols winning 10 games,i do hope it happens,but it is highly doubtful

injuries are the key to this years teams success,a few injuries in the wrong places and it will be a crappy year

lets hope Dobbs has learned to get out of bounds and when to do a decent slide,or his year will be a short one

and I don't expect the very talented freshmen to have much of an impact either,lets face it,freshmen usually don't do well in the SEC and I don't think that will change this year,one or maybe 2 might be able to step up,hopefully we don't have to find out due to injuries

it would be great to be able to red shirt the Ol and DL freshmen

That Lady Vol board has really got you disconnected from what's going on with the football team. And the injury comment can be applied to any team. I guess your method is a good way to avoid disappointment though. Aim low!

 

[walkenvol]

Exactly. I'm getting a Butch tattoo if we go 11-1

Now hold on there young lady - you don't want to go making those type of changes in your life based on a sports team's performance.

 

[TAF]

Exactly. I'm getting a Butch tattoo if we go 11-1

It would need to be this...

 

[gunner]

After watching open practice I believe this is possable now but I say 9-3 is what we do

9-3 would be with a few upsets, 8-4 with one upset, 7-5 is on par. The Vols are still a year or two away from having the talent and depth that they need in all positions.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

9-3 would be with a few upsets, 8-4 with one upset, 7-5 is on par. The Vols are still a year or two away from having the talent and depth that they need in all positions.

That's the thing, Gunner. 9-3 is zero upsets, according to recently-published Vegas lines.

We're a 3-point favorite vs. Oklahoma. A 2.5-point favorite in the Swamp. A 1-point favorite when Arkansas visits. A pick'em vs. Georgia. Underdog against Bama. Touchdown+ favorite against Ky and USCe. And a 2.5-point underdog to Mizzou.

That's a lot of games within a field goal either way. In other words, whole lot of wiggle room for the season to swing between 7-5 and 11-1 extremes. But you were gauging the possibilities using # of upsets. So here's how that really goes (let's even assume the pick'em vs Georgia is a loss):

10-2 == one upset in our favor (or the pick'em goes the other way)
9-3 == no upsets
8-4 == one upset going against us
7-5 == two upsets against the Vols

Quite a different picture than you were seeing, huh?

Now, the lines will change as the season progresses. But as of today, that's how it's looking.

Go Vols!

 

[SouthernSmoke]

9-3 would be with a few upsets, 8-4 with one upset, 7-5 is on par. The Vols are still a year or two away from having the talent and depth that they need in all positions.

A few upsets? You do know that, as of now, UT is favored in nearly every game on their schedule right? 7-5 would be disgraceful.

** See above for more details...

 

[Rbholma]

I have predicted 10-2 personally, but this is the number (11-1) that keeps popping into my thoughts.

8-4 people are reasonable. But I just think that nobody we play this year can flat out beat us 10 out of 10 times.
Oklahoma is the most balanced team we will play. I think they are our second best opponent and i still think we take them.

Baylor, Oregon, Ohio State are about the only teams I see as being able to dominate a us. And none of them are on our schedule.

Talent....

We will own OK this year at home!
If anyone goes back and watched that game last year we gave them fits for most of the game and if you take their long plays out of it we would have one. Our turnover we had deep in their zone was a 14 point swing. Take that play plus another one out it would have been a tie game!
It's going to be tough and this will be a big game that just reconfirms we are back!
GBO!

 

[gunner]

A few upsets? You do know that, as of now, UT is favored in nearly every game on their schedule right? 7-5 would be disgraceful.

** See above for more details...

That's on early betting lines, and just their opinion. Everyone has their own opinions, but imho it will be an upset to beat any of the following: Oklahoma, Georgia, Bama, UF, and Mizzou. So I say 7-5.

UT has current losing streaks against all of those teams, and I don't believe UT will beat them until I see it on the field. This team needs to prove they can win against anyone on any day! Not just SC, Iowa, Vandy or Kentucky. Because at this point, that's all they have proven to me!

 

[KBVol]

I have a niece named Peyton ☺

I have a favorite player named Peyton....

 

[Catbone]

After seeing our OL struggle, as well as the MLB spot still up in the air, I too am going with 7-5 as of now. That may change if we get some really good practice reports in.

 

[LittleVol]

That's on early betting lines, and just their opinion. Everyone has their own opinions, but imho it will be an upset to beat any of the following: Oklahoma, Georgia, Bama, UF, and Mizzou. So I say 7-5.

UT has current losing streaks against all of those teams, and I don't believe UT will beat them until I see it on the field. This team needs to prove they can win against anyone on any day! Not just SC, Iowa, Vandy or Kentucky. Because at this point, that's all they have proven to me!

All it takes is one victory to break a streak.

I look forward to them proving you wrong :good!: