Why add a team like Oregon to our schedule?

#151
#151
manfromtn said:
In no particular order:

1) We are Tennessee. We are not scared of Anyone.
2) West Coast Recruiting. Oregon is on the list of many major recruits.
3) Ticket Sales. This home game will be a sellout.
4) National Exposure. This will be a big game that week. Maybe even an ESPN Gameday game? Remember when we were in more than one of those every year.
5) We are Tennessee. We are not scared of Anyone.
6) Strength of Schedule. Yes, the cupcakes have worked for UF, but times, they are a changin'. It will get to the point where a game like this may be the tiebreaker in the eyes of the pollsters. Tennessee has always been lacking in respect from the pollsters. Schedule and win games like this and they will be hard pressed to ignore us anymore. A weak schedule kept Auburn out of the NC.
7) More media attention which will in turn boost all recruiting.
8) Many fans(not all, but probably most)would rather see a good game(win or lose) against a good opponent than a 63-7 pasting of WKU. I have all of this years games on my DVR. I have watched the Alabama and Florida games again, but have yet to peek at the WKU game.
9) Gets your players used to playing quality opponents. Much better experience playing better teams. They get used to the true speed of the game instead of getting the big-head playing WKU to get beat by an inferior UCLA.
10) Last but not least, WE ARE TENNESSEE. If we want the swagger, we have to earn the swagger and live up the expectations it will in turn create. Bring it on. We are not scared to play anyone, anytime, anyplace. Get used to it or become a Vandy fan. Sorry to sound harsh, but it is what it is. When in doubt, just take a deep breath and say with confidence: WE ARE THE VOLS, B*TCH.
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Great post, but you left off one significant reason: We play at Oregon so that I can play a few rounds at Bandon Dunes on the same trip when the Vols go out there in 2013!
 
#152
#152
If you watched that game LN, you saw that neither team plays defense. Vol's D will be good next year---with the studs UT is bringing in. If Tennessee scores 24 vs Ducks, they win. Remember----the Pac 10 plays offense, the SEC plays Defense.
 
#153
#153
Why not? I like the fact UT always has some tough OOC games. Yes it nice to see 50+ put up on the score board but the only way we are going to get to where we want to be is to schedule people like Oregon. I really hope we get USC one day while CPC is still there.
 
#154
#154
GO BIG ORANGE said:
Why not play a cupcake team (Which is what Florida, LSU and alot of other top ranked teams do).....
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This is an oft cited, and often wrong, perception on this board. I look at Bama's schedule and see regular season games agaisnt Va Tech and Clemson in the past two years. LSU has played the Hokies, Washington, and Arizona on their OOC menu the past 3 seasons. Florida always finishes the season with Florida St.

In other conferences, Oklahoma, who will be on our schedule soon, has games against BYU, Miami, Washington, and Oregon. USC plays Ohio St, Nebraska, and Arkansas. Texas seems to skip years, but they have Arkansas and Ohio St popping up on their resume, too.

That's a pretty good grouping of the best programs in the country, and they all have one thing in common--they try to schedule one game a year against a name team from another conference that will put them on national TV, boost their exposure, help recruiting, and avoid the conversation about not playing anyone out of conference that cost Auburn so much a few years ago. It's a good formula, and one I'm glad we follow.
 
#155
#155
GO BIG ORANGE said:
I'm sitting here watching the Oregon vs. Oregon St. game and I can't understand why we need to add another top 10 team to our schedule......

We will play Bama, Florida, and LSU (all have a great chance to be in the top 10). How can a game w/ Oregon help us in the grand scheme of things......

Why not play a cupcake team (Which is what Florida, LSU and alot of other top ranked teams do).....

Let's say Oregon is not on the schedule and we win 2 out of 3 of the games metioned, then we are in the hunt for a bigtime bowl, etc.......

Thoughts?
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Thought: You are not really wondering about that. Its a passive-aggressive thread to tout your SOS and simultaneously mock the Gators, the Tigers, etc.

In that respect, fail, as the Gators' SOS last year was very high and, if they go undefeated this year and beat 'bama and then Texas, it will be very high again having faced the numbers 2 and 3 teams, back to back.
 
#156
#156
Next year we play a Rose Bowl team, a Sugar Bowl team, and a national title team,

Will the team with a stronger schedule please stand up
 
#157
#157
mitzustu said:
Next year we play a Rose Bowl team, a Sugar Bowl team, and a national title team,

Will the team with a stronger schedule please stand up
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Which is better: Go 7-5 against the #1 schedule in the country or go 13-0 against the #3 schedule in the country?
 
#158
#158
have you seen oregon's record the last couple of seasons away from autzen? not exactly impressive. i'd be suprised to see them beat you, but they will be very highly ranked since they will destroy ohio state in the rose bowl.
 
#160
#160
Much rather see Oregon than cupcakes. A win against Oregon and FL at beginning of the season automatically = top 5. Beyond that, it will be a primetime game and may have college gameday.
 
#161
#161
lawgator1 said:
Which is better: Go 7-5 against the #1 schedule in the country or go 13-0 against the #3 schedule in the country?
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Going 13-0 of course is better, but next year is breaking in a new QB and without EB, so not looking for a 13-0 season from us next year.

With next year really being our 2nd year in the systems, would much rather see exciting games against good teams like Oregon than a team like Charleston Southern or Furman.

After next year, then would like to see the schedule set up like you gators this year.

BTW: Nice Avatar
 
#162
#162
I'd rather play strong OOC opponents over cupcakes anyday.

I actually take pride in the fact that that UT never schedules D-1AA/FCS opponents, and the fact that in the majority of years we have at least 1 strong OOC opponent, or at the least a program with some name value. Who wasn't excited when we whipped Cal in 2006, or when we went down to Miami in 2003 and won? To me those were on par with big conference wins.

Yes it's a risk and we've taken some lumps (Miami 2002, Cal 2007) but I've never heard anyone say "Man Tennessee sure schedules some cupcakes". This year was one of the weaker ones I've seen and we still had UCLA, who at the least is a known program with history, and Ohio is about to play for the MAC Championship. I also like that we have a history of scheduling some of the better mid-majors. We scheduled Fresno St. and Marshall when they were the hot mid majors.

I say keep it up.
 
#168
#168
I like the fact we play a decent non conference schedule...It works well for the Lady Vols, they always seem prepared. Plus, we've done it for the past 10 years anyway. We've played UCLA and Notre Dame, and there are no guarantees that Oregon will still be good, so relax.
 
#169
#169
I can see both sides of the argument. I know we do it for national attention and recruiting and I enjoy watching us play games against top programs instead of teams like Western Kentucky, but I am also tired of seeing teams like Utah, Boise St., TCU, Hawaii etc. get BCS bowl bids when they play in such weak conferences. I know some of these teams are pretty good, but thats not the point. I just don't think they've done anything to deserve to be there. Going undefeated in the Mountain West and beating Virginia and Clemson should not get you a BCS bowl or possibly in the National Championship game (which TCU will probably get if Texas loses). Also Florida never plays anyone any good until their SEC schedule starts, so they always have 3 or 4 guaranteed wins each year over teams like Troy or MTSU. Until the whole BCS system goes away and we go to a playoff system there is no real reward for playing good teams during the regular season like in basketball. If you want to compete for the national championship every year just drop out of the SEC and play Notre Dame's schedule because we'll be 11-1 or 12-0 every year.
 
#171
#171
lawgator1 said:
If we play Alabama and Texas, we won't end with the no. 20 SOS in the country.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
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Hmmm----I looked at your schedule, and neither bama nor texas are on there. Schedule=games played in a sequence determined in advance--usually 5 or more years in advance.
 
#172
#172
JohnWardForever said:
Hmmm----I looked at your schedule, and neither bama nor texas are on there. Schedule=games played in a sequence determined in advance--usually 5 or more years in advance.
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The only reason you cite for even caring is whether we end up playing a sufficiently tough schedule so that the national title or high end of year ranking is deserved.

If this year the Gators play (and beat) the likes of LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, FSU, Alabama, and Texas, and even if it is the case that some of those teams aren't having their best years, I think you are going to have a tough time convincing anyone that they don't deserve the trophy.
 
#173
#173
you might deserve it this year (only because there isn't a half decent alternative), but you didn't deserve it last year or in 06.
 
#174
#174
droski said:
you might deserve it this year (only because there isn't a half decent alternative), but you didn't deserve it last year or in 06.
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Let me guess. It should have been USC because the unbelievable performance against OSU...

Who should have gotten it in 2006 or 2008?
 
#175
#175
tvolsfan said:
Let me guess. It should have been USC because the unbelievable performance against OSU...

Who should have gotten it in 2006 or 2008?
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losing to oregon state on the road is more impressive than losing to ole miss at home.
 
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