Best Case Tennessee: Vols manage to escape brutal schedule

[WilliamDuVOL]

Best Case Tennessee: Vols manage to escape brutal schedule | Saturday Down South

More preseason stuffs, but it's always good to see an outside perspective. I like it.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
2013 record: 5-7, 2-6
2014 best case: 8-4, 5-3
Closer look: A six-week stretch against five Top 11 teams crippled the Vols’ chances last fall, leading to Tennessee’s fourth consecutive losing season. The brutal SEC slate’s not getting any easier for the league’s youngest team which is faced with the task of replacing every starter in the trenches. Not only will Tennessee travel to Ole Miss, South Carolina and Georgia, but the Vols’ first road trip is to Oklahoma — a preseason Top 5. Navigating through one of the nation’s toughest schedules will be arduous, but a three-game winning streak to end the season is a strong possibility.
Silver lining: Prior to facing Alabama at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 25, Tennessee could have as many as five victories if it can beat Ole Miss and split games against Florida and Georgia. Marlin Lane and Jalen Hurd create quite the 1-2 punch in the backfield, but the Vols’ quarterback play will determine this season’s ceiling. Eight wins seems extremely high for a group this inexperienced, but the talent’s there to reach that feat.

 

[AV_12]

15-0

Best case

 

[gogators13]

Give CBJ coach of the year if he pulls that off with a young team, two new lines, and a pocket passer running the read option.

The one thing that will make or break this team is not losing any lineman to injuries.

 

[dduncan4163]

Give CBJ coach of the year if he pulls that off with a young team, two new lines, and a pocket passer running the read option.

The one thing that will make or break this team is not losing any lineman to injuries.

Very true

 

[dduncan4163]

Lets get to Six. I just want to see my Vols in a Bowl Game. Its been too damn long.

 

[livefaith]

They had Auburn as a 12-2 "Best Case" Scenario last year too, right?

Nevertheless, I'll take 8-4, especially if the losses are USU, ASU, UTC, & Ole Miss. Then I guess it couldn't be 8-4. LOL

 

[livefaith]

The one thing that will make or break this team is not losing any lineman to injuries.

Huge, IMO.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

Best case scenario is we break long losing streaks to FL, bamer, GA, Mizzou, Vandy, and we break another long losing streak against Aub or LSU in the SECCG!

We started the BCS off with a bang and surprised many people. Might as well start the college playoffs the same way!

 

[VolFreakJosh]

6 wins and a bowl game, then I'm happy.

 

[OrangeByBirth]

6 wins and a bowl game, then I'm happy.

Nope! Mediocrity is not a reasonable goal to make me happy. I might not be disappointed, but I won't be "happy."

GO BIG ORANGE!​

 

[VolsnRavens]

Best case scenario is we break long losing streaks to FL, bamer, GA, Mizzou, Vandy, and we break another long losing streak against Aub or LSU in the SECCG!

We started the BCS off with a bang and surprised many people. Might as well start the college playoffs the same way!

:loco:

 

[jeffmcflurry27]

Nope! Mediocrity is not a reasonable goal to make me happy. I might not be disappointed, but I won't be "happy."

GO BIG ORANGE!​

Then prepare yourself to be neither happy nor disappointed.

 

[vols 30]

Huge, IMO.

Twss

 

[butchna]

Scattershooting wondering if OP is a subtle b**** about the schedule/buyout plea. :unsure:

 

[hatingbamaisawayoflife]

I hate that we are still having to have these 7-5 discussions but feel hopefully we are on right track..

CANT WAIT UNTIL WE ARE TALKING 10+ WINS AGAIN AND BACK IN TOP 10

 

[BenGrimm]

I say we get the 3 "easy" wins (Mizz, UK, Vandy) plus upset 2 of UGA, FL, SCar, OMiss, or, if the planets are properly aligned and the wind is blowing the right direction off the river, Bama. We go 5-3 in the SEC.

Book it.



And if I'm wrong I'm wrong.

 

[OLEVOLFAN]

I say we get the 3 "easy" wins (Mizz, UK, Vandy) plus upset 2 of UGA, FL, SCar, OMiss, or, if the planets are properly aligned and the wind is blowing the right direction off the river, Bama. We go 5-3 in the SEC.

Book it.



And if I'm wrong I'm wrong.

And if I had my guess id say the two will be SC and FL

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

I say we get the 3 "easy" wins (Mizz, UK, Vandy) plus upset 2 of UGA, FL, SCar, OMiss, or, if the planets are properly aligned and the wind is blowing the right direction off the river, Bama. We go 5-3 in the SEC.

Book it.



And if I'm wrong I'm wrong.

I love the way that everybody keeps assuming Missouri is gonna be a gimme.

 

[EZE]

I will be happy to start the season 2-0 by avoiding a crushing upset, get some experience, and then see where the chips fall the rest of the way. Those first two games are important on a lot of fronts.

 

[BenGrimm]

I love the way that everybody keeps assuming Missouri is gonna be a gimme.

I give them props for last year but I think they will be closer to the team that we had beat in 2012 until they remembered our DC was Sal Sunseri.

 

[Catbone]

6 wins is best case. 4 worst.

 

[JackStraw]

I predict it will be another miserable season in Knoxville unfortunately.

2014 Tennessee Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location
Aug. 30 Utah State W (Will be a close game though)
Sept. 6 Arkansas State W
Sept. 13 at Oklahoma L
Sept. 20 OPEN
Sept. 27 at Georgia * L
Oct. 4 Florida * L
Oct. 11 Chattanooga W (Love The Mocs, but it ain't happening)
Oct. 18 at Ole Miss * W (This is the biggest toss up game)
Oct. 25 Alabama * L
Nov. 1 at South Carolina * L
Nov. 8 OPEN
Nov. 15 Kentucky * W
Nov. 22 Missouri * L
Nov. 29 at Vanderbilt * W (We will make sure not to **** this up again)

 

[Catbone]

I predict it will be another miserable season in Knoxville unfortunately.

2014 Tennessee Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location
Aug. 30 Utah State W (Will be a close game though)
Sept. 6 Arkansas State W
Sept. 13 at Oklahoma L
Sept. 20 OPEN
Sept. 27 at Georgia * L
Oct. 4 Florida * L
Oct. 11 Chattanooga W (Love The Mocs, but it ain't happening)
Oct. 18 at Ole Miss * W (This is the biggest toss up game)
Oct. 25 Alabama * L
Nov. 1 at South Carolina * L
Nov. 8 OPEN
Nov. 15 Kentucky * W
Nov. 22 Missouri * L
Nov. 29 at Vanderbilt * W (We will make sure not to **** this up again)

Almost every expert agreed. So do I.