Finish this sentence: The FL/TN game is the most important for us since...

[volgrad500]

when? I've been trying to think of an instance where one game, this early, could save or tank a season, and have a long-term impact on a coach's tenure. When was the last, regular season game this pivotal?

 

[VolforFootball]

Chattanooga

 

[bpalmer28]

I think maybe you're reading to much into it. There are 6 games remaining on our schedule more winnable than this one. A win would be huge but a loss wouldn't tank the season.

 

[CA_Vol]

The last one. What do I win?

 

[westy]

Vandy last year. Would have been nice to have 10-15 extra practices + good for recruiting.

 

[05_never_again]

when? I've been trying to think of an instance where one game, this early, could save or tank a season, and have a long-term impact on a coach's tenure. When was the last, regular season game this pivotal?

This game isn't as pivotal, but the last "Coach is wandering towards a hot seat and needs a big win to get off of it" game I remember was 2015 Georgia.

The last real inflection point game I remember was 2016 South Carolina. That was the line of demarcation in Butch's tenure, IMO...he wasn't fired immediately after, but I figured he wasn't the guy after that game and would eventually be headed out.

 

[Dudleys87]

This is what the team does and they fall for it every time. It’s not like it was in years past where this game decides who wins the east and goes to the championship game. This is literally just another game. Take that mentality do your job and get the win. Florida hasn’t over reacted to this game in many years..

 

[goldvol]

...since we lost to a horrendous Georgia State school for the blind and my JOB is on the line - Pruitt

 

[Dudleys87]

...since we lost to a horrendous Georgia State school for the blind and my JOB is on the line - Pruitt

Yea ask Fulmer how coaching tight works...
Or Chavis for that matter

 

[05_never_again]

This is what the team does and they fall for it every time. It’s not like it was in years past where this game decides who wins the east and goes to the championship game. This is literally just another game. Take that mentality do your job and get the win. Florida hasn’t over reacted to this game in many years..

That's because they have the long record of dominance in this series and we don't.

On the flip side, look at a series where we are (still) the dominant team - Kentucky. Our program has been awful for over a decade, yet we are still 9-2 against Kentucky since 2008. They really should have beaten us more than just twice over that span. We were ripe for the taking last year, in Butch's first couple of years, in all three of Dooley's years (they only beat him once), and very we easily could have lost to them in 2007 and 2009.

Why? Well, I think part of it is Kentucky overreacts to that game and psychs themselves out. They do it with Florida too.

 

[DonDiego]

That's because they have the long record of dominance in this series and we don't.

On the flip side, look at a series where we are (still) the dominant team - Kentucky. Our program has been awful for over a decade, yet we are still 9-2 against Kentucky since 2008. They really should have beaten us more than just twice over that span. We were ripe for the taking last year, in Butch's first couple of years, in all three of Dooley's years (they only beat him once), and very we easily could have lost to them in 2007 and 2009.

Why? Well, I think part of it is Kentucky overreacts to that game and psychs themselves out. They do it with Florida too.

We do it with Fla, Ga, Ala, Mizzou, and Vandy. VN is one obsessive place.

 

[Dudleys87]

That's because they have the long record of dominance in this series and we don't.

On the flip side, look at a series where we are (still) the dominant team - Kentucky. Our program has been awful for over a decade, yet we are still 9-2 against Kentucky since 2008. They really should have beaten us more than just twice over that span. We were ripe for the taking last year, in Butch's first couple of years, in all three of Dooley's years (they only beat him once), and very we easily could have lost to them in 2007 and 2009.

Why? Well, I think part of it is Kentucky overreacts to that game and psychs themselves out. They do it with Florida too.

We just need to forget stay focused and play ball.
When we do that we play really well.

 

[05_never_again]

We do it with Fla, Ga, Ala, Mizzou, and Vandy. VN is one obsessive place.

Our hangups with those other teams are nothing, nothing, compared to Florida. Our hangups with Florida go back decades, when we actually were good. Beating them has always been the exception, not the rule.

 

[TennesseeVol2009]

2015 Oklahoma.

That was probably the most important game in modern Tennessee history.

2015 was the year the recruits who were going to turn Tennessee around had a shot to get that confidence by beating a big time program in Knoxville. We were winning most of the game, but came up short.

That team was so talented but did not have the winning mentality that was needed to get the job done.

 

[Savannahbayvol]

Our hangups with those other teams are nothing, nothing, compared to Florida. Our hangups with Florida go back decades, when we actually were good. Beating them has always been the exception, not the rule.

When we are good, they are better. When they are bad we are worse.

 

[kiddiedoc]

It's a rivalry game, for sure, but that's about as far as it goes. It's a game we have no business of winning, and nobody (aside from our staff and players -- I hope) expects us to do so. A loss doesn't affect anything, really, unless there are egregious coaching mistakes or we look unprepared.

Honestly, I think we have that in our favor. I don't see why the team couldn't just go down and play with their hair on fire without pressure or expectation to pull the unlikely upset. Trask makes a few mistakes, we get a bounce or two our way, .... Who knows?

 

[orangerush]

UTC

 

[Pineyvol]

For me personally....2009 when Alabama was #1....almost beat them in their house and that big bazzturd Terrence Cody blocked 2 field goal attempts.....that still hurts!

 

[ETV]

Since Pruitt has yet to win a game against a rival.

 

[I40flyer]

2017 at NEYLAND GA gave us an old fashion, in your face A**Whooooooping, GA-41 TN-ZERO. Boy butch and friends laid that on us, one I'm sure no one will ever forget....

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Last year's UT-UF game.

 

[Jackcrevol]

never cared less than i do right now.

hope we win but...ambivalence post suckage

 

[volgrad500]

2015 Oklahoma.

That was probably the most important game in modern Tennessee history.

2015 was the year the recruits who were going to turn Tennessee around had a shot to get that confidence by beating a big time program in Knoxville. We were winning most of the game, but came up short.

That team was so talented but did not have the winning mentality that was needed to get the job done.

Yup, this was the one I was thinking of as well. That could have been a game changer, or at least it felt like it

 

[volgrad500]

For me personally....2009 when Alabama was #1....almost beat them in their house and that big bazzturd Terrence Cody blocked 2 field goal attempts.....that still hurts!

I'm still hoarse from yelling that he should have been penalized for taking off his helmet with time on the clock. Just a sickening way to lose.

 

[vols 30]

Is it that important? What are we playing for? No shot at the East or a bowl game. Vols are 1-2 with JG as your starting QB.

It's important for Florida. A loss would be devastating.

Vols lose and it's just another day closer to basketball season