I’m not sure Tennessee has ever had a schedule with so many ranked opponents?

[zeppelin128]

When Oklahoma and Texas join the SEC, I would be in favor of a scheduling format that eliminated Alabama as an annual opponent. I'm an old timer

I hope Bama and the Barn move to the East. Oklahoma and Texas in the West.

Edit: if this happens, scrap cross divisional permanent rivals.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

There will come a time, and it's not as far off as many probably think, when Bama is going to be one of the easier games on our schedule again.

Not Vandy easy, no. Never that easy. But Ole Miss or Auburn easy. A middling SEC team from the West. And, fingers crossed, we're going to be much stronger than them.

It all comes and goes around again and again, big circles. Big cycles of college football.

Even if you're not into the tradition of this rivalry, still let's keep the TSIO. For the fun that will come then.

Go Vols!

 

[USAFgolferVol]

I hope Bama and the Barn move to the East. Oklahoma and Texas in the West.

Edit: if this happens, scrap cross divisional permanent rivals.

Or just do away with the divisions. That's not an unlikely scenario. The top 2 in the conference at the end of the season play in the SECCG

 

[zeppelin128]

Or just do away with the divisions. That's not an unlikely scenario. The top 2 in the conference at the end of the season play in the SECCG

I'm not a fan of getting rid of divisions. But if they do change the conference structure with pods or whatever system, I want us to at least play Bama, Florida, Kentucky, and Vandy every year. I don't really care all that much about playing UGA, Mizzou, or Carolina every year.

 

[zeppelin128]

There will come a time, and it's not as far off as many probably think, when Bama is going to be one of the easier games on our schedule again.

Not Vandy easy, no. Never that easy. But Ole Miss or Auburn easy. A middling SEC team from the West. And, fingers crossed, we're going to be much stronger than them.

It all comes and goes around again and again, big circles. Big cycles of college football.

Even if you're not into the tradition of this rivalry, still let's keep the TSIO. For the fun that will come then.

Go Vols!

This all day.

 

[stillavol]

Bammer and Auburn may well be in the SEC east when Texas and OU join.

I actually hope that happens and no cross division until the SEC championship.

 

[VolforFootball]

We’re the only team that has to play Alabama every year that isn’t in their division.

But I’d rather lose to Alabama than to take them off the schedule.

 

[USAFgolferVol]

There will come a time, and it's not as far off as many probably think, when Bama is going to be one of the easier games on our schedule again.

Not Vandy easy, no. Never that easy. But Ole Miss or Auburn easy. A middling SEC team from the West. And, fingers crossed, we're going to be much stronger than them.

It all comes and goes around again and again, big circles. Big cycles of college football.

Even if you're not into the tradition of this rivalry, still let's keep the TSIO. For the fun that will come then.

Go Vols!

In my lifetime of 58 years, UT has had a 5 game win streak, a 4 game win streak and a 7 game win streak. With the exception of a few years, Alabama has NEVER been one of the easier games on our schedule. Not sure how you might be drawing your seemingly confident opinion.

 

[WillisWG]

We’re the only team that has to play Alabama every year that isn’t in their division.

But I’d rather lose to Alabama than to take them off the schedule.

I would not be for ending the permanent games, not in the fans best interest.

Alabama vs. Tennessee, Auburn vs. Georgia and Florida vs. LSU are annual games that are played every season that the fans look forward to. It wouldn’t feel right to have a college football season where these match-ups did not take place. Some argue that it isn’t a fair situation- that certain programs get off easier with the permanent opponents they face. The “not fair” argument is one stuck in the present with little foresight or attention to history.
Consider the following.

During the 1990s when the Vols were among the best programs in the country, nobody thought the Crimson Tide was getting off easy having to play their border rival on the third Saturday in October. In fact, Tennessee won 11-of-14 against Alabama between 1993-2006.

The Gators annually smacked the Tigers during the 1990s when the LSU program was down. Florida won 14-of-16 games against the Tigers from 1988-2003.

Nobody will ever accuse Georgia or Auburn of getting off lightly scheduling one another, but it’s the oldest rivalry in the south.

SEC got it right with permanent opponents (247sports.com)