Bama, Georgia and everyone else.

[vegasvolfan]

As long as we have our front 7, and Nico, and Josh Heupel, and our CB's we'll be okay. Not to mention; Dylan Sampson is pretty good too. Thonton and Bru and bad either.

Believe me I hope you are right!

 

[vegasvolfan]

We’ll find out. No reason to say we aren’t elite just because of competition. Our team speed and physicality is tier 1. We’ll find out where the entire team is when they compete against the other tier 1 teams

Well I didn’t think we played like an elite team against OK. I agree we shall see and I would absolutely love to be wrong!

 

[vegasvolfan]

I have to agree with this assessment. What you and our coaches have said about getting better every week is exactly what we must do, as I see it. The team that plays Arkansas must be much better than the team that beat OK. And so on throughout the season with each team we play.

Based on what we’ve seen so far, who among us actually believes that we are superior to either AL or GA?

Agreed. I know some are taking my post as saying we aren’t good, but you get it.

 

[UT97Vol]

So my girlfriend attended her first game last year with me for the UGA game.

We don’t get to come as much as I would like because of living so far away. And we are attending the Bama game. Her first two games in Neyland will both be against the #1 team in the nation (assuming they don’t get upset). Not a bad way to start. She’s from Mass so southern football is somewhat new to her. Do you think she knows how lucky that is? LOL.

Before last year she had only ever been to a Boston College football game.

This is going to be a crazy night. We might reset the loudest ever game in that one for the second consecutive year!!

 

[UT97Vol]

Well I didn’t think we played like an elite team against OK. I agree we shall see and I would absolutely love to be wrong!

Coach H was overheard telling Nico he held the offense back after the game when they were still on the field. I think we’re going to be ok

 

[RavinDave]

We still aren’t In the same tier as Tx, Bama, or Ga till we beat one of them

Too much orange koolaid!!

Orange koolaid. Purple haze. Hmmm.

 

[vegasvolfan]

Coach H was overheard telling Nico he held the offense back after the game when they were still on the field. I think we’re going to be ok

Yeah I am wondering how much of that is legit, but hope so. I also was wondering if Heupel was holding back his book with plans to unleash the kraken on better teams.

 

[DukeDaisySam]

We lost Utu because he knows he isn't going to play tackle over Sanders. Sanders is the better OT, the staff told Utu he would play inside because the recruits we have are better outside than he is.

 

[StuckInBamaVol]

Still sticking with this after Coaches poll. A team that is 4th in the nation is a top tier team in the SEC.

4 Tiers = 4 Teams per Tier 2024 Season to date

Tier 1

Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee

Tier 2

LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Missouri

Tier 3

Texas A&M, Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky,

Tier 4

Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

OU is definitely not tier 2

 

[orangebloodgmc]

So, just a for instance, there won't be anything to say if we take out Bama? That's when what you say means so much more...dontcha think?

Oh, we definitely will be then. But, no shame at all in keen analysis and bold predictions prior to that. And, ANYBODY can jump on the bandwagon afterwards. JMHO.

 

[Rockytoptilidie]

****. I have never been more confident that we beat the breaks off both of them.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

What a game.

Georgia wins this game by a larger margin in Athens.

We are now seeing the best at this point in the season of GA and Bama, and I haven’t seen a team that can hang with this.

Either way, same ole same ole.

I think this is what we expected,

Albeit, when you consider what we have seen so far, the margin is smaller.

I expect to see more separation between these two from the rest of the pack as well as between the tier 2 teams to create a 5th tier.

I think TX will either join Bama and Georgia, or join some teams in tier 2 that separate themselves from the rest.

As of now, I think you have to put a lot of teams in tier 2.

Tier 1 = Bama, Georgia

Tier 2 = LSU, SC, KY, Ole Miss, Tennessee, TX

Tier 3 = TA&M, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri

Tier 4 = Miss St, Auburn

Tennessee has a heck of a challenge ahead of itself.. I think we have been a little high on ourselves considering the stats we have put up and the competition we have faced so far.

Tennessee has to get a LOT better. I also think this bye week, while early, came at a very good time.

If we stay healthy and get better… who knows? But as of now, it seems we may be a big step away from beating GA or Alabama.

 

[bpalmer28]

We’re #1 in total defense, GA is #65 in total offense. Don’t get lost in the lights of a great game, and this was a great game, but I’m not yet persuaded there’s any separation between us and GA or Bama. Time will tell.

It is possible that we are better equipped to contain Milroe.

 

[OrangeTsar]

There is no way to accurately predict TN v AL or TN v UGA at this point. Like every other game at his level of football; it will come down to the trenches. And you don’t know that outcome until the day of the game. For the first time in decades, we at least have the talent and depth on Defense to have a good chance to hold our own. In offense, we have good talent but still not in depth. If we stay healthy and play to the level we are capable; then we can win both. But we delude ourselves if we fail to view those two games as anything but tough slugfests. Long term; keep recruiting well; get talent that fits our culture, and retain good assistant coaches; and we can stay at the big boys table

 

[StuckInBamaVol]

There is no way to accurately predict TN v AL or TN v UGA at this point. Like every other game at his level of football; it will come down to the trenches. And you don’t know that outcome until the day of the game. For the first time in decades, we at least have the talent and depth on Defense to have a good chance to hold our own. In offense, we have good talent but still not in depth. If we stay healthy and play to the level we are capable; then we can win both. But we delude ourselves if we fail to view those two games as anything but tough slugfests. Long term; keep recruiting well; get talent that fits our culture, and retain good assistant coaches; and we can stay at the big boys table

This.

Nico has the highest ceiling. Just going to have to get the freshman out.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

How do you justify keeping GA up there with the Ky and Bama games? KY did take advantage of integrity void karma at Ole Miss.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

Well I didn’t think we played like an elite team against OK. I agree we shall see and I would absolutely love to be wrong!

OU never had a chance to win on their own home field against UT. Repeat that, then ask yourself again if we're not playing like we're elite. The defensive numbers absolutely scream out elite.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

How do you justify keeping GA up there with the Ky and Bama games? KY did take advantage of integrity void karma at Ole Miss.

I don't know what you mean by "up there", but I do think Georgia is still a top ten team. Kentucky is a top 25 outfit with a really nice defense. Ole Miss is the overrated team in my opinion. They played and overwhelmed a high school schedule that allowed them to be ranked improperly, until they played a real team. Starting out the year ranked too highly wasn't their fault tho.

 

[Sudden Impact]

OU is definitely not tier 2

They are when you look at Tiers 3 & 4. You can swap them with Tx A&M that is about it

 

[StuckInBamaVol]

They are when you look at Tiers 3 & 4. You can swap them with Tx A&M that is about it

Nah, KY rolls OU

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

What a game.

Georgia wins this game by a larger margin in Athens.

We are now seeing the best at this point in the season of GA and Bama, and I haven’t seen a team that can hang with this.

Either way, same ole same ole.

I think this is what we expected,

Albeit, when you consider what we have seen so far, the margin is smaller.

I expect to see more separation between these two from the rest of the pack as well as between the tier 2 teams to create a 5th tier.

I think TX will either join Bama and Georgia, or join some teams in tier 2 that separate themselves from the rest.

As of now, I think you have to put a lot of teams in tier 2.

Tier 1 = Bama, Georgia

Tier 2 = LSU, SC, KY, Ole Miss, Tennessee, TX

Tier 3 = TA&M, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri

Tier 4 = Miss St, Auburn

Tennessee has a heck of a challenge ahead of itself.. I think we have been a little high on ourselves considering the stats we have put up and the competition we have faced so far.

Tennessee has to get a LOT better. I also think this bye week, while early, came at a very good time.

If we stay healthy and get better… who knows? But as of now, it seems we may be a big step away from beating GA or Alabama.

Tier 1 = Bama, Georgia, Tennessee

Tier 2 = LSU, SC, KY, Ole Miss, TX, Oklahoma

Tier 3 = TA&M, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Missouri

Tier 4 = Miss St, Auburn, Florida

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

Nah, KY rolls OU

Once OU gets some key players back on offense, they will be Tier 2

 

[hndog609]

Oh, we definitely will be then. But, no shame at all in keen analysis and bold predictions prior to that. And, ANYBODY can jump on the bandwagon afterwards. JMHO.

Oh my opening sentence acknowledged "fandom" and all that entails. I was just riffing on the post I'd quoted at the time which was more or less making the "to be the man you gotta beat the man" observation which is accurate. The other stuff can be fun and entertaining but until we show we belong with the AL's and GA's (which is only temporarily speculative) what actual claim do we have? We're #4 in the nation...it's not like we're really being disrespected. And that's with the current #1 coming to our house in 3 games. There's little need for angst now.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Here's what I know:

Tier 1: Tennessee is tier 1. Others? Nah, don't care about them.

Tier 2: Actually, don't care here either.

Tier 3: okay, let's just wrap this up, it's getting boring.

There's Tennessee, who as far as I can tell is 4-0 with butt whuppins already over two Top 25 teams, including oh-by-the-way a march into Oklahoma's home stadium where they rarely lose, and we owned them. It wasn't nearly as close as the score makes it seem. And we all know that.

We have one of the top defenses in the country, if not THE best. And we have an offense that, how quickly some of you forget, was one of the most prolific in the country back when we were all just beating up on the little guys.

Josh slows it down one week and you all begin to believe we're pedestrian on offense? Come on!

As others outside this fan base have said, this is one of the most complete teams in the nation.

So who cares whether other teams are as well.

WGWTFA.

Go Vols!

 

[StuckInBamaVol]

Neither have they outside each other. See how this works ?

You act like I’m bashing, I’m not. We just need a real test.