Tennessee continues to play the best from the West

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KBVol

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#1
Tennessee Continues To Play The Best of the West | Rocky Top Insider


That adds up to a 122-24 cumulative total record for Tennessee’s Western opponents since 2011. But perhaps crazier is their record coming into the game against UT. Outside of an Arkansas team that stumbled out of the gates in 2015, but still found a way to beat the Vols, Tennessee has played the hottest teams. Those teams have come into the game against UT with a combined record of 63-6, with three of those six losses coming from Arkansas last year.

And while the Vols were noticeably more competitive in 2015, the West still holds a 371-144 total scoring edge against UT since 2011.

Tennessee’s taken great steps early in 2016 to take early control of the East. And while an Eastern Division crown would certainly be a nice step for this program, the Vols will ultimately have to have some success against the West for this team to go beyond that. And just as it’s been since 2011, they’ll have to go through the best and the hottest to make that a reality.
 
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#2
#2
KBVol said:
Tennessee Continues To Play The Best of the West | Rocky Top Insider


That adds up to a 122-24 cumulative total record for Tennessee’s Western opponents since 2011. But perhaps crazier is their record coming into the game against UT. Outside of an Arkansas team that stumbled out of the gates in 2015, but still found a way to beat the Vols, Tennessee has played the hottest teams. Those teams have come into the game against UT with a combined record of 63-6, with three of those six losses coming from Arkansas last year.

And while the Vols were noticeably more competitive in 2015, the West still holds a 371-144 total scoring edge against UT since 2011.

Tennessee’s taken great steps early in 2016 to take early control of the East. And while an Eastern Division crown would certainly be a nice step for this program, the Vols will ultimately have to have some success against the West for this team to go beyond that. And just as it’s been since 2011, they’ll have to go through the best and the hottest to make that a reality.
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It gets even crazier when you consider that the year before for the rotational team we play from the west they were not very good.

To get to where we want to be, it shouldn't matter how good they are when we play them, it's just uncanny that they are bad the year before we play them and good when we play them.
 
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#4
#4
I would be in favor of abolishing the permanent cross division opponent. I know that's blasphemy around here to suggest we not play Bama around here, but its not a fair system.
 
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#6
#6
If you are a competitor and ultimately want to play for championships in the SEC you embrace and WANT to play the best teams in the West. You simply cannot be the best or THE man unless you beat the best or THE man. Shirk or shrink from playing the best to be the best, Tennessee is not the place for you.
 
#7
#7
fade route said:
I would be in favor of abolishing the permanent cross division opponent. I know that's blasphemy around here to suggest we not play Bama around here, but its not a fair system.
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I agree with this.
 
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#8
#8
Its cyclical guys. Tennessee dominated the tater diggers in the late 90's and early 00's. google Mike Shula. :)
 
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#9
#9
fade route said:
I would be in favor of abolishing the permanent cross division opponent. I know that's blasphemy around here to suggest we not play Bama around here, but its not a fair system.
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Of course you weren't calling for it when bama was hit by the ncaa and UT was ripping off 7 in a row.
 
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#12
#12
utvolpj said:
Of course you weren't calling for it when bama was hit by the ncaa and UT was ripping off 7 in a row.
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Of course, would've gladly called for it 1971-1981, 1986-1994 and now 2007-2015.....what's your point?
 
#14
#14
Remy said:
If you are a competitor and ultimately want to play for championships in the SEC you embrace and WANT to play the best teams in the West. You simply cannot be the best or THE man unless you beat the best or THE man. Shirk or shrink from playing the best to be the best, Tennessee is not the place for you.
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True, but I would like to have a level playing field with the other teams in the SEC East. We are talking about getting to the SEC Championship game and we spot every other SEC East team a game every year by playing Alabama every year. It could change this year and I do think we can/will beat A&M this Saturday. When this happens, We have a real shot at beat Bama next week.
 
#15
#15
I continue to be torn on this matter. I agree that to be the best you need to beat the best but that is why there is a conference championship. I would never want to lose the annual game with Bama but there is no denying that they have been the premier program in football for quite some time. It is not an equal measurement to decide the east in that instance. I think this year is a bit exacerbated because we have these four games back to back. It's just a tough stretch. If we should drop the next 2 and UF runs the table (as unlikely as that may be) the best team in the east will not be in Atlanta.

Anyway, we need to win the games on our schedule and I think we will win one of the next two and get to our bye week, heal up and run the table.
 
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#16
#16
Remy said:
If you are a competitor and ultimately want to play for championships in the SEC you embrace and WANT to play the best teams in the West.
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It's because I want the Vols to play for championships that I agree with fade. It puts us at a disadvantage to UGA and UF as far as schedules. Which could still bite us in the arse this season despite beating both UGA and UF. If we continue with Bama as the crossover then I agree with SOS; only divisional games should count to determine division winners.

You simply cannot be the best or THE man unless you beat the best or THE man. Shirk or shrink from playing the best to be the best, Tennessee is not the place for you.
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The Vols would still have a chance to play and beat the best (Bama) in the SECCG.
 
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#17
#17
KBVol said:
Of course, would've gladly called for it 1971-1981, 1986-1994 and now 2007-2015.....what's your point?
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Point is you want the wins without the fear of losses. It's a defeatist attitude and one that Jones has to work hard to get out off the program
 
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#18
#18
Some interesting, more like sick to your stomach, stats that we must correct against aTm to be successful.

We are:

2-18 against the west since 2008 (won against Miss St in 08 and Ole Miss in 2010)

and are on a

11 game, 5 year losing streak.

We have played 15 ranked SEC west teams since 2008 while not being ranked ourselves.

On a brighter note, we broke a streak against UGA. Since 2007, we were 0-23 in away games against ranked teams.
 
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#19
#19
fade route said:
You are right because I wasn't a member of Volnation then.
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I posted nothing about VN. Did you tell someone in the late 90's that beating up on bama wasn't fair and the series should end? Of course not because they would have laughed at you (even more than usual)
 
#21
#21
utvolpj said:
Point is you want the wins without the fear of losses. It's a defeatist attitude and one that Jones has to work hard to get out off the program
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It's actually more like common sense.

You play better opponents than your competition every year = advantage for your competition
 
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#22
#22
I'd let the bama game go bye bye. At least till saban is gone. better to play them in the SEC championship game if at all.
 
#24
#24
utvolpj said:
I posted nothing about VN. Did you tell someone in the late 90's that beating up on bama wasn't fair and the series should end? Of course not because they would have laughed at you (even more than usual)
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Even though you're being a punk and a child, I'll respond anyway. It's not a fear of losses, it's about balance in the league and making sure that everyone plays as fair of a schedule as possible from year to year. But hey, since you're such a badass fan, call the AD and request that we schedule Clemson, Ohio St, Michigan, and Louisville for our non-conference schedule in the next few years.
 
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