What's the most IMPORTANT game for UT this year?

#1

lawgator1

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#1
Finevol has his thread about the hardest game to win. Let me change the topic slightly. What's the most important?

Now think before you answer. On papper, Florida is the most important because the winner has such an advantage in the SECE. But, can't an argument be made that its the Cal game because it sets the tone for the rest of the season? What about the 'bama game? Do you need to let Saban know whose boss, not for this year, but for the rest of the decade?

Hmmmm ....
 
#3
#3
If you asked everyone I think they say Fla. easy. They seem to be the real tone setter (driver seat)if you will, for the SEC east. You say show Saban I say show Tebow!
 
#4
#4
If we can go to Gainesville and beat Florida our confidence will skyrocket. The others mentioned are key games but Florida is the most important.
 
#6
#6
I'm going to say S.Carolina. I know many people on this board hate to hear it but many folks who do not wear the orange tinted glasses already perceive UF and UGA to be a step above UTK. The last thing the Vols can afford is to have SC eclipse them as well. At that point there would be no arguing the fact that UTK was a second tier SEC team. Beating SC over the next few seasons is critical IMO.
 
#7
#7
It obviously changes as the season happens. But I always point to UF first because that really is a 2 game swing in the East.
 
#9
#9
I know many people on this board hate to hear it but many folks who do not wear the orange tinted glasses already perceive UF and UGA to be a step above UTK

i still don't see how people think UGA is a step above us. we only beat them by 18
 
#10
#10
Florida. If we lose to Cal, our SEC hopes are still in tact.

South Carolina? Uh, no. If we can't beat them, then we would already have losses to UF, GA, and Bama. Who would care at that point if we beat the Gamecocks? Phil would already have one foot out the door anyway.
 
#12
#12
Florida with no question. Whoever wins that game is in the drivers seat for the Sec Championship game.
 
#13
#13
i still don't see how people think UGA is a step above us. we only beat them by 18
Maybe because Richt is 4-2 against Phil, the Dawgs are recruiting as well as the Vols (better some years), and they have been in the title game 3 ties in the past five years and won it twice.
 
#14
#14
In this order

1 - The first one
2 - The second one
3 - The third one
4 - The fourth one
5 - The fifth one

and so on and so on......no game is more important than the next one on your plate........pretty simple concept really
 
#15
#15
Maybe because Richt is 4-2 against Phil, the Dawgs are recruiting as well as the Vols (better some years), and they have been in the title game 3 ties in the past five years and won it twice.

Also we haven't beaten UGA in Neyland since '99 I think. Richt is undefeated there.
 
#16
#16
Nov. 10 vs. Arkansas. It could be Crompton's second official start and the Vols could be struggling to stay above .500 for the season.

notice I said "could be".
 
#17
#17
Florida. If we lose to Cal, our SEC hopes are still in tact.

South Carolina? Uh, no. If we can't beat them, then we would already have losses to UF, GA, and Bama. Who would care at that point if we beat the Gamecocks? Phil would already have one foot out the door anyway.
Oustide the diehard UTK fan community, most people are kind of expecting the Vols to lose to UGA and UF more often than not. With Sabanpalooza in full effect a lot of people are expecting the Tide to rise immediately. Losing to teams that everyone expects you to lose to doesn't hurt the image of the program (for recruiting and general fan moral) nearly as much as loosing to someone who you are perceived as being better than.

Also, I doubt three SEC losses is enough to get rid of Phil (see 2006).
 
#18
#18
That's an interesting take on South Carolina. If one believes that over any given five year period the SECE is a battle between Florida, UT, and UGA, then we cannot afford to let USC into the mix. And there's the Spurrier factor there. If they got going at some point ....

Very interesting perspective.
 
#19
#19
South Carolina is an important game, but nowhere near as important as the UF or Georgia game.
 
#21
#21
The first one.

UT beats Cal convincingly and gets offensive confidence then they should to well. If it is close with glaring weaknesses or a loss. It could get rough.
 
#23
#23
Oustide the diehard UTK fan community, most people are kind of expecting the Vols to lose to UGA and UF more often than not. With Sabanpalooza in full effect a lot of people are expecting the Tide to rise immediately. Losing to teams that everyone expects you to lose to doesn't hurt the image of the program (for recruiting and general fan moral) nearly as much as loosing to someone who you are perceived as being better than.

Also, I doubt three SEC losses is enough to get rid of Phil (see 2006).

Like I said, if Fulmer has 3 SEC losses going into the USC game, then it'd be more than 50/50 that he loses that game and I would believe 4 SEC losses is enough to get him canned. Hell, I'd go to Mike Hamilton myself and demand it. And I've been one of like 5 on Phil's bandwagon.
 
#24
#24
It's easier to go with Florida, but I would say we have to defend our house first, which we didn't do very well in the past few years. If we went undefeated in Neyland Stadium, we would be in good shape to compete for SEC East.
 
#25
#25
South Carolina is an important game, but nowhere near as important as the UF or Georgia game.
I completely understand where everyone is coming from with UF and UGA, but beating one of those teams does not assure anything (we beat UGA last year but did not even sniff ATL). On the other hand, losing to S.Carolina again (making Spurrier 2-1 vs UTK as SC hfc) would ensure many more nagging questions regarding UTK's position/rank in the East.
 
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