Athlon: Will the Tennessee Volunteers Make a Bowl Game in 2013?

[Vol logic]

Auburn is the only one that worries me, aside from the near certain defeat against South Carolina. They have the stars to hang with bama, just didn't have the coaching last year. If they have the coaching this year, they could surprise some people. Same could be said of us, maybe?

Auburn's classes, per rivals:
2009 - #19
2010 - #4
2011 - #6
2012 - #10
2013 - #8

Man, those numbers are not updated with attrition and busts. They will be starting a freshman quarterback who is not even on campus yet so they are in a worse situation than we are in. UT and Auburn are very similar in terms of talent and neither is close to Bama.

 

[jortfreeTN]

Man, those numbers are not updated with attrition and busts. They will be starting a freshman quarterback who is not even on campus yet so they are in a worse situation than we are in. UT and Auburn are very similar in terms of talent and neither is close to Bama.

Agreed, also with that logic we should crush Oregon, new head coach and an average recruiting class that is way lower then the upper tier SEC classes.

 

[WoodstockVol]

Agreed, also with that logic we should crush Oregon, new head coach and an average recruiting class that is way lower then the upper tier SEC classes.

The score will probably be similar to the 2010 game:whistling:

 

[rockytop114]

10-2 or gtfo

 

[orangeluvr]

My signs point to yes

You gotta love the Magic Eight Ball, it's as accurate as anything out there! :rock:

 

[GolfvolSC]

To make a bowl game in this day and age you need to go 6-6:

APSU
WKU
S. Alabama
Missouri
UK
Vandy
Auburn
Missouri

Can UT go 6-2 against these 8 teams? I think so.

8-0 and lose to everyone else..hope that's not the case..we should be able to steal one from UGA or gaymecocks. 9-3.

 

[WoodstockVol]

10-2 or gtfo

Maybe UT will be 10-2 in 2-3 seasons

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I'm sorry, but I just don't see Western Kentucky as a questionable game...Petrino or not.

Tell me about it. In my mind, the analogy would go like this...

Dereck Dooley : Butch Jones :: Butch Jones : Bobby Petrino.

If you buy that assessment, then think about what Dooley and Tennessee did to Jones and Cincinnati.

Now think about Cincinnati's talent as compared to Western Kentucky. Even if we have less talent, we have a upgrade at HFC.

This game should not be in doubt... but they'll play it anyway I guess.

 

[KBVol]

6 and 2 sounds about right for those 8 games and call me crazy but I think we've got a chance against UGA and SC since they're at home.

Agree. I think we go at least 6-2 vs those 8 and we steal one of two vs Ga or SCar

Disclaimer: I have no earthly idea how they're gonna do but just hoping like hell I'm right.

 

[TNinSC]

Depends on qb play...Worley against Vandy didn't look too good last year. WKU has a very good coach now btw...

 

[WoodstockVol]

Depends on qb play...Worley against Vandy didn't look too good last year. WKU has a very good coach now btw...

Big talent difference between CUSA and the SEC. Coach motor cycle road rash will run every trick play known to man,however

 

[VOL'in]

Tell me about it. In my mind, the analogy would go like this...

Dereck Dooley : Butch Jones :: Butch Jones : Bobby Petrino.

If you buy that assessment, then think about what Dooley and Tennessee did to Jones and Cincinnati.

Now think about Cincinnati's talent as compared to Western Kentucky. Even if we have less talent, we have a upgrade at HFC.

This game should not be in doubt... but they'll play it anyway I guess.

While I do not think this game is questionable, the team cannot look ahead to the next opponents (Oregon & Florida) and let this game slip away some how. This team has to take care of business on the lesser out of conference teams. One slip up could result in a devastating W/L record on the season.

 

[dovervolz]

6 and 2 sounds about right for those 8 games and call me crazy but I think we've got a chance against UGA and SC since they're at home.

I'm not so sure that I can disagree with you. I believe that they can win 1 of those 2 games

 

[KBVol]

Considering that these idiots have Franklin as the fifth best coach in the SEC, do they also have the commoders winning the conference after dominating the Elephants in the Championship game?

 

[namasteVOLfans]

I would rather play them earlier in the season. We will be beat up after October

so will all those other teams.

 

[oldfartvol]

so will all those other teams.

Logic is a beautiful thang.

 

[namasteVOLfans]

Logic is a beautiful thang.

lol no doubt

 

[Rifleman]

To make a bowl game in this day and age you need to go 6-6:

APSU
WKU
S. Alabama
Missouri
UK
Vandy
Auburn
Missouri

Can UT go 6-2 against these 8 teams? I think so.

In order of assumed difficulty, greatest to least . . .

Missouri - road game
Vandy
Auburn - cupboard not totally bare
UK - road game
WKU
S. Alabama
APSU

I only get 7 here, not 8. We only play Mizzou once this year. So we'll need to go 6-1 versus this group, or win one from among this group . . .

Bama
Florida
Oregon
Georgia
South Carolina

For my part, I say we win all from the top and 1 from the bottom group: 8-4! 9-4 after the bowl win.

 

[BigSteve09]

November is make or break for Butch and the Vols. Which works out for us, because hopefully the guys have the offense down then and Butch is getting things rolling.

3 or more wins (against Missouri, Auburn, Vandy, Kentucky) in the month of November is the key for the Vols. I would take a win over Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina though (expected losses).

Here's how I see it shaking out:

Date Opponent Location
Aug. 31 Austin Peay Knoxville -- W
Sept. 7 Western Kentucky Knoxville -- W
Sept. 14 at Oregon Eugene, Ore. -- L
Sept. 21 at Florida * Gainesville, Fla. -- L
Sept. 28 South Alabama Knoxville -- W
Oct. 5 Georgia * Knoxville -- L
Oct. 12 Open Date
Oct. 19 South Carolina * Knoxville -- L
Oct. 26 at Alabama * Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- L
Nov. 2 at Missouri * Columbia, Mo. -- W
Nov. 9 Auburn * Knoxville -- L
Nov. 16 Open Date
Nov. 23 Vanderbilt * Knoxville -- W
Nov. 30 at Kentucky * Lexington, Ky. -- W

 

[volboy81]

We should win AP, WKU, S Ala & Ky with no problem. That means we "only" have to win 2 out of the remaining 8 to go bowling. AU, Vandy & Mo are part of that 8, so we should be able to do that w/Jones! And I think we can beat either GA or SC...

 

[SDV]

We will make it to the Music City Bowl, thus equaling the greatest season in Vandy's history

 

[MikeVol44]

November is make or break for Butch and the Vols. Which works out for us, because hopefully the guys have the offense down then and Butch is getting things rolling.

3 or more wins (against Missouri, Auburn, Vandy, Kentucky) in the month of November is the key for the Vols. I would take a win over Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina though (expected losses).

Here's how I see it shaking out:

Date Opponent Location
Aug. 31 Austin Peay Knoxville -- W
Sept. 7 Western Kentucky Knoxville -- W
Sept. 14 at Oregon Eugene, Ore. -- L
Sept. 21 at Florida * Gainesville, Fla. -- L
Sept. 28 South Alabama Knoxville -- W
Oct. 5 Georgia * Knoxville -- L
Oct. 12 Open Date
Oct. 19 South Carolina * Knoxville -- L
Oct. 26 at Alabama * Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- L
Nov. 2 at Missouri * Columbia, Mo. -- W
Nov. 9 Auburn * Knoxville -- L
Nov. 16 Open Date
Nov. 23 Vanderbilt * Knoxville -- W
Nov. 30 at Kentucky * Lexington, Ky. -- W

I wish we could move the Fla game into November, but I don't see us losing to Auburn in Knoxville. I know that they will be a good team. I also think we beat UGA in Knoxville....:salute: