Not sure why everyone is so scared of Bama. They looked middle of the road against woeful Vandy who didn't even put up much of a fight.
Georgia's QB Stafford looks far and away better than J.P. Wilson.
But I honestly think UT is better than both. We've lost to two extremely talented football teams in Cal and Florida. Both of those programs have two of the hottest coaches out there and I wouldn't be surprised to see Cal play Florida for the National Championship in all honesty.
So I just don't see anybody else that scares me a whole lot. Only because Spurrier is coaching S.C. do they make me cringe. Spurrier owns Fulmer in the psyche department so if UT beats 'em it'll be on talent alone.
If the schedule had been turned around and we played Cal and Florida late in the season do you guys think that if UT had started out 4-0 against the likes of Southern Miss, Bama, Georgia, and Arkansas St. that you'd all be sitting here saying we were going to lose big to Cal and Florida?
Like I've been saying....Fulmer will win just enough games to keep his job...go to a decent bowl, get beat, and then do it all over again next year unless they get talent that can overcome Fulmer's real or perceived mediocre coaching style.
Tell that to the team that beat your Hogs last night.
In the '90's, CPF got by because we could out-athlete most teams we played. It's a new era now with so many teams getting TV exposure and recruits who will pass up a "name" program in order to play early. The playing field has been leveled to the extent that innovation and coaching skills are more important than ever. CPF is the antithesis of innovation, as as for his coaching "skills":
Phil Fulmer's Record Since 1998 - updated
Years without SEC title: 8
Years without BCS bowl: 7
Years without top 10 ranking: 5
Years without AP Top 25 ranking: 2000, 2002, 2005,
Years with 3 or more losses: 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 (5 straight years and 7 out of 8 )
Years with 4 or more losses: 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006
Years with 5 or more losses: 2002, 2005
Years with 6 losses: 2005
Years with multiple losses to unranked teams: 2003, 2005
Years with loss within last 2 games of season: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 (EIGHT straight years and counting)
4-8 (.333) vs. Spurrier: (2-3 since 1998 )
2-4 (.333) vs. Richt
1-3 (.250) vs. Tuberville
1-2 (.333) vs. Saban
0-3 (.000) vs. Meyer
9-17 (.346) 1999 - present vs. FL, GA, LSU, AUB (thank God for Zook!
7-16 (.304 ) 2000 - present vs. FL, GA, LSU, AUB
5-15 (.250) 2000 - present vs. FL, GA, LSU, AUB excluding games vs. Zook
5-13 (.278) 2000 - present vs. FL, GA, AUB
3-12 (.200) 2000 - present vs. FL, GA, AUB excluding games vs. Zook
5-10 (.333) 2000 - present vs. FL, GA
3-9 (.250) 2000 - present vs. FL, GA excluding games vs. Zook
2-5 (.286) 2000 - present vs. GA
8-15 (.348) vs. Top 10 teams 1999 - present
1-6 (.142) vs. Top 10 teams at home 2000 - present
6-13 (.333) vs. Top 10 teams 2000 - present
17-21 (.447) vs. Ranked Teams 1999 - present
2-5 (.285) Bowl games since 1998 (all double digit losses)
2-7 (.222) Postseason record since 1998 including SECCG (all double digit losses)
Losses To Unranked Teams:
2006 PSU 20 TN 10
2005 Van 28 TN 24
2005 SC 16 TN 15
2004 ND 17 TN 13
2003 Clem 27 TN 14
2003 Aub 28 TN 21
2001 GA 26 TN 24
2000 LSU 38 TN 31
1999 Ark 28 TN 24
I've long since been over living in the past, and CPF will never recover it
ENOUGH SAID