ESPN: Vols have the most lopsided schedule in the SEC

#26
#26
Ericvol2096 said:
I thought about this too D4H.

Assuming we take care of business to kick off all of CFB against App St. we will have a lot of buzz heading into an extra few days to prepare for the BABristol.

In that game we will be playing a tricky VT team with a solid D (able to retain Bud Foster) but that will be going through a complete Offensive overhaul. There is very little chance Fuente will have them ready to go that early.

Given what I think VT could look like I could see that game looking like Iowa or Northwestern where were wear them down and once some turnovers start happening we explode for a huge win.

Take that momentum and a 3-0 start into the biggest home game in Neyland stadium in a decade against a Florida team that will be just slightly less talented on D (still loaded) but will have a walk on transfer QB playing his first real road game ever. We have a shot to turn that game into a blowout as well. Which I think we need to so the "oh SHHHHHHH here we go again" factor doesn't come back.

Then after beating UF our team's confidence will be soaring heading to our first road game against UGA.

This is where I am torn. Does our team handle that success and just get more fired up and play even more motivated and beat a team with a likely freshman QB starting, or do they let the great start get to their heads and think a 1 or 2 loss UGA team is "beneath" them and let a tricky talented team trip our season up?

I like our path to a 4-0 start it is that UGA game where I get concerned.
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I think this team handles success better than they do failure. Just look how well they played against Alabama after the huge come from behind home victory vs. Georgia. And compare that to how poorly they played against Arkansas after that gut-wrenching loss to Florida.

I would be more concerned about how we respond if we lose a game versus how we respond if we win.
 
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#27
#27
Dobbs 4 Heisman said:
I think this team handles success better than they do failure. Just look how well they played against Alabama after the huge come from behind home victory vs. Georgia. And compare that to how poorly they played against Arkansas after that gut-wrenching loss to Florida.

I would be more concerned about how we respond if we lose a game versus how we respond if we win.
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Good Point, but my counter to that is this collection of players has never really experienced "real" success. yes they won a great game over UGA but that didn't do anything for us but save the season.

It is a totally different kind of success than we will be experiencing if we really do start 4-0.

That would include a likely top 5 ranking, a couple of our players getting major Heisman talk at that point, campus and our fanbase literally worshipping certain players due to finally ending the Florida streak, ect.

That would be a lot for a team that's never been ranked higher than #22 or so to understand how to handle and stay focused.

The other scary factor is that UGA while having a Freshman QB has as much talent than us and they will likely have at least 1 loss from a road trip to Ole Miss. That will mean they could be unranked or very close to that when we make our way into Athens. They will be motivated as hell to play us since we pretty much got their coach fired and their heart and soul got hurt against us the year before.

It just smells like a huge trap game to me.
 
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#28
#28
Ericvol2096 said:
Good Point, but my counter to that is this collection of players has never really experienced "real" success. yes they won a great game over UGA but that didn't do anything for us but save the season.

It is a totally different kind of success than we will be experiencing if we really do start 4-0.

That would include a likely top 5 ranking, a couple of our players getting major Heisman talk at that point, campus and our fanbase literally worshipping certain players due to finally ending the Florida streak, ect.

That would be a lot for a team that's never been ranked higher than #22 or so to understand how to handle and stay focused.

The other scary factor is that UGA while having a Freshman QB has as much talent than us and they will likely have at least 1 loss from a road trip to Ole Miss. That will mean they could be unranked or very close to that when we make our way into Athens. They will be motivated as hell to play us since we pretty much got their coach fired and their heart and soul got hurt against us the year before.

It just smells like a huge trap game to me.
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there's a lot i agree with in this post.

but no way, no how GA is a trap game.
 
#29
#29
Ericvol2096 said:
Good Point, but my counter to that is this collection of players has never really experienced "real" success. yes they won a great game over UGA but that didn't do anything for us but save the season.

It is a totally different kind of success than we will be experiencing if we really do start 4-0.

That would include a likely top 5 ranking, a couple of our players getting major Heisman talk at that point, campus and our fanbase literally worshipping certain players due to finally ending the Florida streak, ect.

That would be a lot for a team that's never been ranked higher than #22 or so to understand how to handle and stay focused.

The other scary factor is that UGA while having a Freshman QB has as much talent than us and they will likely have at least 1 loss from a road trip to Ole Miss. That will mean they could be unranked or very close to that when we make our way into Athens. They will be motivated as hell to play us since we pretty much got their coach fired and their heart and soul got hurt against us the year before.

It just smells like a huge trap game to me.
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Possibly.

But this is where Butch Jones comes into play. He might not be the best X's and O's coach, but he's a tremendous motivator. If you've watched his little slogans like "snap and clear" "don't get too high, don't get too low...take it one game at a time" you'll see he's been preparing this team for 2 years for a season like 2016.

I really have no fear of this team getting too high on themselves and overlooking any opponent. Especially a rival like Georgia.

I love the leadership on this team. I trust them to keep the young guys in check that might get a little overconfident.
 
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#30
#30
Ericvol2096 said:
Good Point, but my counter to that is this collection of players has never really experienced "real" success. yes they won a great game over UGA but that didn't do anything for us but save the season.

It is a totally different kind of success than we will be experiencing if we really do start 4-0.

That would include a likely top 5 ranking, a couple of our players getting major Heisman talk at that point, campus and our fanbase literally worshipping certain players due to finally ending the Florida streak, ect.

That would be a lot for a team that's never been ranked higher than #22 or so to understand how to handle and stay focused.

The other scary factor is that UGA while having a Freshman QB has as much talent than us and they will likely have at least 1 loss from a road trip to Ole Miss. That will mean they could be unranked or very close to that when we make our way into Athens. They will be motivated as hell to play us since we pretty much got their coach fired and their heart and soul got hurt against us the year before.

It just smells like a huge trap game to me.
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i get what you're saying, but I think you're overthinking it. I see no way that a road game in Athens against a rival could be a trap game. It's not as if we'll be overlooking them.
 
#31
#31
You can spin anything any different way. I don't love how theyre bunched up because a key injury or two in the florida game or Georgia could screw us against A&M, Bama..

point blank. the schedule is what it is. beat the teams lined up against you.
 
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#32
#32
GAVol said:
i get what you're saying, but I think you're overthinking it. I see no way that a road game in Athens against a rival could be a trap game. It's not as if we'll be overlooking them.
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One thing all three posts reminded me of is that a lot of our key players are from the state of Georgia and they would never overlook the Dawgs.

I feel better now.
 
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#33
#33
jakez4ut said:
there's a lot i agree with in this post.

but no way, no how GA is a trap game.
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True, I guess I have LSU 2001 dancing in my head.

One thing I have to remind myself of is that our program then easily got complacent because those players had already reached the top of mountain.

This team has no reason to get complacent yet.
 
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#34
#34
BigSteve09 said:
I wouldn't want Ole Miss' schedule.

Florida State neutral site
Wofford
Alabama
Georgia
Memphis
bye
@Arkansas
@LSU
Auburn
Georgia Southern
@Texas A&M
@Vanderbilt
Mississippi State

That's rougher than ours, I would argue.
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Bet they are glad to get Vandy while they are down.
 
#36
#36
So the question becomes since Tennessee has only an early 4 game schedule, how is that going to sell with the SOS street creed you're not getting in the polls? Iowa had to be perfect. NC never recovered.

The playoff committee doesn't get cranked up until the vols start the back third of a weak schedule. How does Butch keep his team and the committee interested?
 
#37
#37
TUSKtimes said:
So the question becomes since Tennessee has only an early 4 game schedule, how is that going to sell with the SOS street creed you're not getting in the polls? Iowa had to be perfect. NC never recovered.

The playoff committee doesn't get cranked up until the vols start the back third of a weak schedule. How does Butch keep his team and the committee interested?
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a) this is a problem i'd like to have
b) if it is a problem, the season is going very well
c) be in ATL in December, you're automatically relevant to that conversation.
d) hopefully we'll have to cross this bridge when we get to it.
 
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#38
#38
TUSKtimes said:
So the question becomes since Tennessee has only an early 4 game schedule, how is that going to sell with the SOS street creed you're not getting in the polls? Iowa had to be perfect. NC never recovered.

The playoff committee doesn't get cranked up until the vols start the back third of a weak schedule. How does Butch keep his team and the committee interested?
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The answer is by beating bams's ass.It can be done see ole miss.
 
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#39
#39
TUSKtimes said:
So the question becomes since Tennessee has only an early 4 game schedule, how is that going to sell with the SOS street creed you're not getting in the polls? Iowa had to be perfect. NC never recovered.

The playoff committee doesn't get cranked up until the vols start the back third of a weak schedule. How does Butch keep his team and the committee interested?
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The SEC title game.
 
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#40
#40
TUSKtimes said:
So the question becomes since Tennessee has only an early 4 game schedule, how is that going to sell with the SOS street creed you're not getting in the polls? Iowa had to be perfect. NC never recovered.

The playoff committee doesn't get cranked up until the vols start the back third of a weak schedule. How does Butch keep his team and the committee interested?
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If we win those 4 games we'll be sitting pretty at #1 in the first college football playoff poll.
 
#42
#42
TUSKtimes said:
So the question becomes since Tennessee has only an early 4 game schedule, how is that going to sell with the SOS street creed you're not getting in the polls? Iowa had to be perfect. NC never recovered.

The playoff committee doesn't get cranked up until the vols start the back third of a weak schedule. How does Butch keep his team and the committee interested?
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First off, the Vols play a tougher schedule than iowa, secondly ,a loss to a top team early has less of an impact if that team runs the table to finish the season.
 
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#44
#44
orangeluvr said:
First off, the Vols play a tougher schedule than iowa, secondly ,a loss to a top team early has less of an impact if that team runs the table to finish the season.
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Iowa was perfect and all their brownie points came from that one equation. A lot of one loss teams have struggled for notoriety coming down the home stretch.

Doesn't seem like much now, but all sports services, including ESPN/Foxsports, will take a strong team and conference position. Their politicking will put the democratic and republican convention to shame.
 
#45
#45
TUSKtimes said:
So you feel you must go undefeated to get the playoff committee's respect?
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11-1 TN team with the loss to Bama or Tx am, that goes on to win the SEC in ATL will have no problem getting into the top 4.

End of discussion.

2 losses - I don't think TN get's in with this schedule.
 
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#46
#46
Neyland Law Vol said:
11-1 TN team with the loss to Bama or Tx am, that goes on to win the SEC in ATL will have no problem getting into the top 4.

End of discussion.

2 losses - I don't think TN get's in with this schedule.
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Agree with this entirely.


Also, don't think any 2-loss team ever gets into the playoffs...unless there are no undefeated teams left and less than four 1-loss teams from Power 5 conferences. Has that ever happened in the BCS/CFP era?
 
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#47
#47
VFL-82-JP said:
Agree with this entirely.


Also, don't think any 2-loss team ever gets into the playoffs...unless there are no undefeated teams left and less than four 1-loss teams from Power 5 conferences. Has that ever happened in the BCS/CFP era?
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LSWHO - 2007 - 2 loss team
 
#48
#48
TUSKtimes said:
LSWHO - 2007 - 2 loss team
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that's the BCS not a play off committee.

and for all those saying 10-2 wouldn't get it in....i'll just say this...10-2, winning the SEC title game.....11-2....

i think there's probably a path for that team to get in the play off. it would depend greatly on the other teams it'd be competing with for a spot mind you....but there's a path for that team to get in, certainly.
 
#49
#49
Neyland Law Vol said:
11-1 TN team with the loss to Bama or Tx am, that goes on to win the SEC in ATL will have no problem getting into the top 4.

End of discussion.

2 losses - I don't think TN get's in with this schedule.
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Right, a 10-2 (or 11-2) team isn't going to end up in the college playoffs unless a season like 2007 happens again.
 
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