SEC East Wide Open 2022

[madbamahater]

UGA loses many, many key players. I know they have lots of depth, but there are some huge shoes to fill......

Vols will be contenders for the East this coming season.....

GBO!!

 

[NO SIR EEE]

GO BIG FREAKING ORANGE!!

 

[VolForLife83]

UGA loses many, many key players. I know they have lots of depth, but there are aome huge shoes to fill......

Vols will be contenders for the East this coming season.....

GBO!!

Maybe, but at this point, they're like Bama and just reload

 

[Pacer92]

With defensive improvement across the board...yes.

 

[smokeycoonhoundUT]

I’m interested to see what UGA does at QB next year considering how few snaps any back ups got this season… things could get interesting for sure

 

[Mtnvol80]

Second place is wide open

 

[LittleVol]

Maybe.
If Heupel adjusts his offense a little.
And... ADDs more variety to it.
And gets those 2022 defenders ready early on to play signficant minutes.

Then maybe.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Not sure UTs defense will improve next season, so I feel the Vols will finish 3rd in the East.

 

[WestTennesseeVol]

I’ll have what OP is having

 

[lukeneyland]

I doubt we could win the division. But it’s not utterly laughable which is a little comforting. It’s vital that we beat Florida and get ourselves firmly established as the second best team in the division

 

[rocky top buzz]

Hopefully the MCB was an outlier, but it was a disappointing way to end the season. Leaves a bad taste headed into 2022. Defense couldn't stop Purdue and yes I understand field conditions were bad. Georgia had a walk on QB, their defense was how they won and I don't see that changing next year.

 

[99gator]

Tennessee has to play Alabama while other teams in the East don't.

This makes it impossible for Tennessee to win the East.

 

[IndianaVol]

I'll be the first to say it - we beat Florida next year, still lose to UGA...unfortunately, we'll get caught sleeping against a KY, Mizzou, or USCe and end up 3rd in the East.

 

[mtvols]

Tennessee has to play Alabama while other teams in the East don't.

This makes it impossible for Tennessee to win the East.

So true. We start one game in the hole.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

All I am worried about is the game with the Florida Gators.

It's such a giant opportunity and it's utterly pivotal for the direction of the SEC East, Tennessee and Florida.

Over the last three years outside of UGA and UF we have lost to ONE other team in the East ONCE. The JG pick six bonanza against KY. Vandy 3-0, USCjr 3-0, Mizzou 3-0, KY 2-1 (only beat us in 2020 because of JG)

We own the rest of the SEC East right now

Getting ahead of Florida in a year after they collapsed, had tons of transfers, a bad recruiting class and a first year head coach is a must!

And it would mean Heupel, in year two overcomes one of our many curses from the big three.

We lose that it's not the end of the world and we shouldn't give up on Heup, but it could be damning for his ceiling for the program I mean...if we can't beat them next year...nothings going to change.

 

[sjt18]

Tennessee has to play Alabama while other teams in the East don't.

This makes it impossible for Tennessee to win the East.

Not impossible. But UT has to beat everyone in the East to do it.

 

[sjt18]

UT has to improve on D. Do that and stake a claim to the East by beating UGA. But UT MUST improve on D.

 

[HalfullVol]

Tennessee has to play Alabama while other teams in the East don't.

This makes it impossible for Tennessee to win the East.

that's one way to look at it i guess

 

[Franklin Pierce]

UT has three very likely losses every season: Florida, Georgia, Alabama.

On the road at LSU. AT South Carolina. A good Kentucky team in Neyland.

Tennessee is not a contender, and will not be until recruiting improves.

 

[Daniel_Lincolns_Foot]

I've never been one to lean towards "this isn't fair," but man, in order to reach the top in the near future, in our best hypothetical year, we're probably going to have to: beat Georgia, play Bama 3 times (regular season, SEC Champ, CFP) and beat them twice, and beat the other top 4 CFP team. Talk about a near impossible hill to climb.

 

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

Second place is wide open

This.

Every Tennessee fan who is all on the “LOL Bama, loved seeing Georgia beat them!” train is failing to realize we probably just saw the beginning of a dynasty run, and it’s literally in our division… and right next door to us.

 

[Berry4Heisman14]

Offense will be explosive. Defense however very likely could be worse.

 

[Daniel_Lincolns_Foot]

This.

Every Tennessee fan who is all on the “LOL Bama, loved seeing Georgia beat them!” train is failing to realize we probably just saw the beginning of a dynasty run, and it’s literally in our division… and right next door to us.

Yeah, Bama winning would have done absolutely nothing other than give them another title.

Georgia winning is really really bad.

 

[CAVPUT]

I’ll have what OP is having

You're behind. Already on my second. Don't forget UT has a BB game tonight. Can't watch that bunch without some help.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

People have said this basically every year since 2017. When will people accept that Kirby is a darn good coach and is not going to face plant on his own? Next year their seniors will have been the #1 recruiting class, their juniors #2, their sophomores #4 and their freshmen #3 (at least), they'll be tough to beat again.