University of Tennessee Preview: The Schedule

Sorry for the long break people! The move in back to the university has been hectic and combining that with school starting and my work schedule…needless to say, free time has been fleeting these past couple days. But back to the topic today: the schedule. And yes, everyone has been saying that our red-and-black brethrens to the south in Athens, GA have the most challenging schedule in the SEC, but I say nay. The Volunteers here in Knoxville have a far more challenging schedule than the Hairy Dawgs.

Let’s take a closer look: UT plays 3 SEC foes right after their bye week. And of course, they are all Eastern foes: Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Not only will this directly impact the conference race, it’s three of our most bitter rivals that actually scare us (sorry, Vandy!). UT also plays 9 straight games right in the middle of the season due to the switcharoo with UCLA and UAB in the first three weeks of the season. Now, instead of warming up against UAB and then going to the West Coast with a bye right after, it is now UCLA, bye, then UAB. But the more television exposure, the better, right? Now, lets go week-by-week and break down the matchups.

Week 1: @ UCLA

UT Advantage: Where should we start? Experience, depth, athletic ability, coaching, poise…The list could go on for a long bit. On paper, this game is a done deal. The exciting thing about college football is that Appalachian State never beats Michigan on paper. That’s why we play the game.

UCLA Advantage: Home turf? Right now, that seems the only thing the injury-ridden Bruins do have right now. Their pre-season third string QB is now the starter, both lines are brittle and thin, freshman litter the roster. Slick Rick inherited a team on the verge of falling apart at the seams.

Gut Feeling: UT got blasted last year on the West Coast and now UCLA pays the price. 28-10 UT

Week 2: Bye

Gut Feeling: We won’t lose this week for sure! Bye forfeits for the 110^th year in a row! 2-0 UT

Week 3: UAB

UT Advantage: The streak against C-USA foes currently resides at 13-1, with UAB coming for two of those victories, the last one in 2005. With a week off between the UCLA game and this one, the Vols will be rested and ready for a tune-up for the Florida match-up.

UAB Advantage: They can hope for some numerous freak accidents that render both the offense and defense of Tennessee useless. Thaaaaaat’s…about it.

Gut Feeling: UT goes to 3-0 against UAB in a laugher. 42-7 UT

Week 4: Florida

UT Advantage: Well, hopefully playing a vanilla offense the past couple weeks will leave the Gators off guard on what to expect from Dave Clawson’s offensive game plan. The secondary, which was a bust in last year’s game, has to show up to limit Tim Tebow to just being a glorified fullback.

UF Advantage: Having a returning Heisman Trophy winner is never a bad thing for a team. Tebow, along with Percy Harvin and Chris Rainey, comprises one of the fastest offenses in the SEC and matches up dangerously with the defense of UT.

Gut Feeling: UT reverses the losing trend against Florida in a nail biter at Neyland. 30-28 UT

Week 4: @ Auburn

UT Advantage: UT’s secondary will be able to blanket Auburn’s underwhelming wide receivers but dealing with Tony Franklin’s spread offense will be key here. Having to go up against two inexperienced quarterbacks splitting time will hopefully swing this game in UT’s favor.

AU Advantage: Playing at the Plains. Auburn’s home field advantage, while not so well known, is still intimidating. Add that to Auburn’s smothering defense and it is a recipe for turnovers galore.

Gut Feeling: The last time Auburn played UT, AU ran over UT on the way to an undefeated season. This time, UT, with a stable of running backs, powers to victory over the Tigers. 31-20 UT

Week 5: Northern Illinois

UT Advantage: A couple years ago, this would have been a fascinating game. Garret Wolfe: Runner Extraordinaire versus a vulnerable UT run defense. Now…not so much. UT is just too talented to lose this game.

NIU Advantage: A David vs. Goliath mentality. And a lot of luck.

Gut Feeling: Not so much a gut feeling as 95% fact: UT rolls as the Vols gear up for the Big Game next weekend. Very Big-Very Little UT

Week 6: @ Georgia

UT Advantage: Momentum. UT comes in winning the past two games and the three of four against the Bulldogs, in which all three victories come as an underdog status. UT has had UGA’s number the past couple years and has shown no fear playing Between the Hedges last time around (51-33 UT). UT will need every bit of mojo to win this game.

UGA Advantage: Here is where UGA has plenty of advantages. They get an off week to nurse their injuries before the game. Their defense will be tougher than anything UT will have seen before this season. The running backs are just as deep and talented as UT’s are.

Gut Feeling: UGA has been known for their slow starts. The question is if that would be what will happen this year. Sadly, with UGA the preseason No. 1 and a soft first six weeks, UGA should be ready to exact revenge for the past two years. 27-17 UGA

Week 7: Mississippi State

UT Advantage: These Bulldogs will be a little easier to tame compared to the team from the previous week. UT should come out hungry and ready to take out some aggression on Sylvester Croom’s squad. UT beat them last year in a game that was much closer than expected but this one should be handled easily.

MSU Advantage: MSU is a tough, scrappy team that overachieved last year. This time around, they are more experienced and have a proven leader and athlete in Jevan Snead. Sly Croom is a great motivator and his teams have advanced in each of his three year’s at MSU.

Gut Feeling: UT will come out swinging and will easily handle this up and coming MSU squad. 27-10 UT

Week 8: Alabama

UT Advantage: The biggest thing here is revenge. UT was embarrassed last year at Bryant-Denny Stadium and here is where UT returns the favor. With Nick Saban in year 2 of the rebuilding process and a young defense decimated by injuries and suspensions, UT should better be able to impose its offensive will on Alabama.

UA Advantage: Alabama may be a young team, but it features a proven QB in John Parker Wilson and an electrifying freshman wide receiver in Julio Jones. This could be a deadly connection that could lead Alabama to a surprise SEC West title.

Gut Feeling: UT doesn’t lose at home that often, much less to it’s archrival. On the Third Week in October, UT gets a win over a hated foe. 38-24 UT

Week 9: @ South Carolina

UT Advantage: Talent. UT still has the edge here but South Carolina is creeping closer and closer to being relevant. UT will have to rely on better athletes than SC to win. UT has the faster defense, but it’s the offense that has to win this game for the Vols.

USC Advantage: The Ol’ Ball Coach. Spurrier has done a masterful job of reviving the Gamecock’s football program from the dead. Jasper Brinkley comes back to lead the SC defense, which relies on swarming the ball to be effective.

Gut Feeling: SC is on it’s way up to competing with the established powers of the SEC, but not this year. 17-10 UT

Week 10: Wyoming (Homecoming)

UT Advantage: Yaaaawn. Send in the sacrificial lamb. Don’t be surprised if UT doesn’t break 100,000 patrons for the game here.

UW Advantage: Maybe their fans will outnumber ours. Wouldn’t bet on it though.

Gut Feeling: Another cupcake to give playing time for the second and third stringers. Blowout-Close to 0 UT

Week 11: Bye

Gut Feeling: Thank goodness. UT will have gone 9 weeks without a break at this point and needs it to prep for…Vandy and Kentucky? What a waste of a bye. At least, us UT students won’t have to shell out the money to see UT play this week.

Week 12: @ Vanderbilt

UT Advantage: UT brings a better team to the field than Vandy. Plain and simple. Vandy doesn’t have the speed, or athleticism, or depth that the Vols have. No fault on either side, just the natural disadvantages that Vandy has.

VU Advantage: It is a rivalry game, and if Vandy is gonna play at their potential for just one game, this will be the one. They can hope that UT is sluggish after the bye and catch them napping.

Gut Feeling: Another one-sided affair at Neyland. UT wins this one going away. 35-13 UT

Week 13: Kentucky

UT Advantage: The Streak. UT has won a record 23 consecutive games against the Wildcats in The Border War and with all the losses Kentucky endured after last year, there should be no reason why the Streak won’t stretch to 24.

UK Advantage: The game last year may have bolstered Kentucky’s attitude toward this game, changing it from a sure loss to a game they have a chance in. They’ll have to pull everything they have together at the right time to beat the Vols in their house.

Gut Feeling: 24-for-24. 31-14 UT.