Rivalry?

#1
VolPack22

VolPack22

Jessica Alba wears my Daddy hat
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#1
Just saw on ESPN where they said Tennessee and South Carolina are excited to renew their rivalry. Why do people use the word rivalry so loosely? To me we only have 3 true rivals in the SEC. Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. I guess you could say Auburn too but we really don't play them but every 6 years now that they have the stupid rotation for cross-divisional games since they stubbornly keep the 8 game setup as opposed to going to 9 games but that's another subject. The real reason for this thread is to ask everyone do they really consider Vanderbilt, Kentucky and South Carolina as rivals? I know I sure as heck don't. They all have been our personal doormats for an extended period of time now. I mean look at the record against each:

Vanderbilt: 75-30-5(11 losses against since 1935)

Kentucky: 78-24-9(14 losses against since 1935)

South Carolina: 25-7-2(SEC member since 1992, only played sparingly before then)

Total: 178-61-16

We have beaten these 3 teams 75% of the time throughout our history and that's including the first 20 or so years where our football team just wasn't really a football team and lost to Vanderbilt and Kentucky a lot to start off those series. If you take out those first 20 years then I'm sure our winning percentage is in the 80s without a doubt. So if you beat teams as much as we have beaten these 3 over an extended period of time why do people consider them rivals? I see no justification to even consider them as legit SEC football teams, let alone rivals.
 
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#2
#2
I'd consider every team in the SEC a rival. Plus several others outside of the conference with a history... such as UCLA and GA Tech. Those three that you mentioned are IMO the biggest rivalries. Memphis and Vandy are tiny rivalries although Vandy was once big. Alabama might not consider TN to be a big rivalry if things don't soon shift in favor of TN.
 
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#3
#3
I agree with VolPack on this one. USC is no rival. Florida, Georgia and Alabama are rivals.
 
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#5
#5
I don't consider UGA a rivalry, but I do Vandy. I live in the middle TN area though. My three in order are Bama, FL, and Vandy.
 
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#8
#8
Thunder Good-Oil said:
I'd consider every team in the SEC a rival. Plus several others outside of the conference with a history... such as UCLA and GA Tech. Those three that you mentioned are IMO the biggest rivalries. Memphis and Vandy are tiny rivalries although Vandy was once big. Alabama might not consider TN to be a big rivalry if things don't soon shift in favor of TN.
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I was speaking strictly SEC rivals but yes I would consider GA Tech a bigger rival than these 3 and possibly even UCLA too. We've had some good battles against those 2 schools. I'm glad we get to play GA Tech again next season. It's been too long since we last played them.
 
#9
#9
KBVol said:
Vandy is but Georgia isn't? Do what??
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Yes. I'm older I guess. I was around during the Ray Goff era, and UGA has just never been a real threat in all honesty unless TN is down. Living in middle TN probably has a lot to do with Vandy. The fans they have around Nashville are ridiculous. Vandy always seems to play us better than they should too.
 
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#12
#12
KBVol said:
Vandy is but Georgia isn't? Do what??
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Technically our historical rivals are Bama Vandy and Kentucky and cmon KB you know that.

It's an easy argument to say Bama Fla and Ga in the modern era. Those three teams are the usual powers in the East since division play started.

But THE constant rival is Bama. And I really wish people would stop trying to rationalize not playing that game. That's just me I know. But at least to me it is a constant of college football.
 
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#13
#13
Everytime I hear this word I think of the Bo Jackson commercial ....
That was a great one..
 
#14
#14
Tennessee Rivalry Pecking Order:

Alabama
Vanderbilt
Auburn - inactive
Georgia Tech - inactive
Ole Miss - inactive
Kentucky
Florida
Georgia
Arkansas
USCeast
Mizzou
Sewanee
 
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#15
#15
NorthDallas40 said:
Technically our historical rivals are Bama Vandy and Kentucky and cmon KB you know that.

It's an easy argument to say Bama Fla and Ga in the modern era. Those three teams are the usual powers in the East since division play started.

But THE constant rival is Bama. And I really wish people would stop trying to rationalize not playing that game. That's just me I know. But at least to me it is a constant of college football.
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No mention of Auburn but you add UK and Vandy?
 
#16
#16
When the schedule comes out, the teams that are on it are our rivals.
 
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#18
#18
. . .
The Vols' three main rivalries include the Alabama Crimson Tide (Third Saturday in October), Florida Gators, and Vanderbilt Commodores. Tennessee also has a long and important rivalry with Kentucky Wildcats . Since the formation of the SEC Eastern Division in 1992, the Vols have had an emerging rivalry with the Georgia Bulldogs, and they have a small non-conference rivalry with the in-state Memphis Tigers. None of their games have trophies, although Kentucky–Tennessee used to battle over a Beer Barrel from 1925 until 1999. From 1985 until 2010, Tennessee held a 26–game winning streak over Kentucky. The streak ended on November 26, 2011 when Kentucky defeated Tennessee 10–7 in Lexington. The Volunteers had important rivalries with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Auburn Tigers, until Georgia Tech left the SEC and realignment forced them to drop Auburn from the schedule.
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#19
#19
utvolpj said:
No mention of Auburn but you add UK and Vandy?
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I was saying historical. Waaaay back. In those days it was UK and Vandy. Robert Neyland was hired with one sole directive. Beat the "other team out west".

Today it's FLA and GA.

And it's always been Bama.

I have never considered Auburn as one of THE rivals of our program no.

Edit: see the post above mine. That sums up mostly how I feel. Within the last two decades Auburn was growing. But it died on the vine with the division lineups. And for me it just never made the cut. This is just my opinion.
 
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#21
#21
South Carolina has never, nor will they ever be a rival. However, Vandy and Kentucky are, whether anybody wants to admit it or not.
 
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#22
#22
BJSforVols said:
Yes. I'm older I guess. I was around during the Ray Goff era, and UGA has just never been a real threat in all honesty unless TN is down. Living in middle TN probably has a lot to do with Vandy. The fans they have around Nashville are ridiculous. Vandy always seems to play us better than they should too.
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I was around for Dooley, Donnan and Goff prior to Richt. I too live in Middle Tennessee. But neither of those factors matters to me.

It's more about relevance and who's more likely to challenge Tennessee for the right to win the SECe and play for an SEC title. Vandy is an afterthought, a bit of a nuance, but never a legit challenger, as opposed to Georgia which is on an annual basis. Nobody said, "if we beat Florida and Vandy this year, we'll be in the driver's seat to win the East". It's been all about beating Florida.....and Georgia. Jmo of course.
 
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#23
#23
Our record head to head with Florida since the divisional era began would suggest we aren't their rival according to some of the arguments above.
 
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#24
#24
HoptownVol said:
South Carolina has never, nor will they ever be a rival. However, Vandy and Kentucky are, whether anybody wants to admit it or not.
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Vandy and Kentucky?? No. They're virtually automatic annual wins and teams we have play to close out the season. Nuances yes, rivals no. Nothing more, nothing less. We have 3 legit rivals....UF, UGA and Bama.
 
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#25
#25
TN/Vandy rivalry started in 1892. TN/Alabama rivalry started in 1901.

TN/Bama...99 games.
TN/Vandy...110 games.

Bama has become the bigger rivalry, but Vanderbilt has always been a rival.

TN/KY have been playing each other since 1893. Oddly enough though, while TN/Vandy started playing a year before TN/KY....TN/KY have played 111 games against each other. I believe they are the team we have played against the most.
 
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