Our trip to Tuscaloosa

[sami]

Florida, Bama, and Georgia line up perfectly for this to be the year where Tennessee redefines who they are as a program in the eyes of the college football world. Yes it will be hard to do and may look impossible in ways but for anyone to be great they have to start doing what they are not supposed to do and for Tennessee now unlike years past that is not viewed as something far fetched.

I hope you're right, but we may be a year or two away from really redefining who we are as a program, when some of these stud recruits are here and our depth is able to match the Georgias and Bamas of the world. Having said that, 10-2 is entirely realistic this year and 11-1 isn't out of the realm of possibility.

 

[Scot Harvath]

My only trip to T town was in the late seventies while spending 3 long years in school in Birmingham. Drove down to see the Doobie Brothers in their basketball barn.
Did go to a Gump vs Nebraska game at Legion Field. Gumps won and were drunk and obnoxious of course.

 

[OffTackleVol]

I was at one of my 5:00 pm watering holes a couple of nights ago - Furniture Factory here in Huntsville. Old fellow (about my age) with a Bama hat on. He started trash talking. Of course the number 15 came up (streak), and he said "I'm still not so sure we lost that game". I like the guy and pick my battles, so I grinned and had all these thoughts buzzing. Wanted to say sarcastically "OMG you're right - the refs really goobed you again, just like all the other times you've lost". But I didn't. There is a mentality though, amongst many down here of a superiority complex - granted, they have been more than good for a long period. He then started spouting numbers about the number of times Ga and Tn has beaten them in the last 20 years. Do they play Ga every year? I don't think so. And did Alabama benefit from most of the teams in the west sucking for a long while, you remember, when Florida and Georgia were both playing pretty good, and we had them every season.

So, yes, Bama has 5 star talent and we aren't there yet. Bama's tumble will begin when Nicky decides to quit, or even throws a target date out there for that. I think OP has a good point. Another victory, especially in Tuscaloosa would maybe accelerate that. Recruits want to go to the good programs. Saban won't be around another 5 years, and, if we can keep him, Heupel will. If Tennessee keep winning 9 or more, the winds will shift for Bama.

I'm with OP on this one. My reasoning is, this coach knows how to get the team mentally in a place where they are convinced they've worked just as hard as the other team and can win if they execute. Only bad example was South Carolina last season. Still amazed at how Beamer's moons lined up on that ugly night. Haven't felt that way since Georgia State.

They don't like losing in Tuscaloosa. Cam Newton went in there and pulled one out from a big deficit, once. That pissed them off. The good news, Bama lost. The bad news, it cost Auburn a couple of trees on Toomer's corner. Milton could blow Bama's mind just like Cam Newton did that day. Johnny Manzel also caused many tight sphincters in Tuscaloosa one fine day. It can happen.

Go Vols

As did Joe Burrow..........

 

[ptcarter]

As did Joe Burrow..........

Good point. Thing is, Joe Burrow wasn't a surprise to the Gumps. That Auburn game, with Cam - I can't remember how far back they were, but Auburn surprised them by coming back. Same with Manzel. Gumps had that "we can't lose" attitude as they walked into the stadium that day.

And a personal note on that Bama - A&M game. Can't remember who Tennessee played that day, but I remember leaving Neyland stadium with my two college age sons, and walking down to the strip. Got a seat at the bar (Mellow Mushroom) and ordered a pizza. 3rd quarter was just ending. Mellow Mushroom covered with people, and we were just happy to have a seat and TV in front of us, hoping our order was slow so we could watch more. Lot's of joy in that restaurant when Johnny Football did his thing.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Agree a win is possible but the odds are not in our favor in T-town. Bama players and fans have the TN-LSU games circled. And you know Saban is still pissed about it. Tide fans I am around here in Tide Land those 2 games are the only ones they want to talk about. Going to be a tough environment for visiting fans.

BUT, as said by several above posts, losing to a rival in Bryant Denny pisses off the Tide fans more than anything. Would love it.

 

[Flipdaddy]

Because traditionally this is a loss. I think Alabama is going to be either really bad (3/4 losses) or really good. The reason I say really bad is the QB issue and Saban is acting silly in press conferences talking about things like ripped blue jeans. Weird. And…the atmosphere has changed with the NIL and these kids aren’t into that dictatorship coaching style and he’s struggling with trying to be a modern coach. The reason they may be really good because they’ve had a Golden Horseshoe up their asses for so long so nothing would surprise me. If Milton is finally the real deal, it’s a win in Tuscaloosa for sure.

 

[Just a VolinTears]

Go out there and play 60 min of sound fundamental football and don't beat yourself

 

[LadyVolette]

WGWTFA

That’s the spirit lol

 

[VolCalls]

I’m not chalking anything outside of APSU and UConn as a win or a loss. That’s why they play the games.

 

[OffTackleVol]

Good point. Thing is, Joe Burrow wasn't a surprise to the Gumps. That Auburn game, with Cam - I can't remember how far back they were, but Auburn surprised them by coming back. Same with Manzel. Gumps had that "we can't lose" attitude as they walked into the stadium that day.

And a personal note on that Bama - A&M game. Can't remember who Tennessee played that day, but I remember leaving Neyland stadium with my two college age sons, and walking down to the strip. Got a seat at the bar (Mellow Mushroom) and ordered a pizza. 3rd quarter was just ending. Mellow Mushroom covered with people, and we were just happy to have a seat and TV in front of us, hoping our order was slow so we could watch more. Lot's of joy in that restaurant when Johnny Football did his thing.

That weekend my wife and I were in South Bend, Indiana watching our youngest daughter play basketball (she was a two guard for IU South Bend). We were watching the A&M-Bama game at a pizza joint named Barnaby's. I had the whole place rooting for the Aggies...........

 

[ptcarter]

One more point about the winds shifting away from Bama. I am biased towards the VOLS, but I think an unbiased observer of last years match up would go something like this. Let's say you were a young kid, pick a town - Missoula Montana, and you are a 5 star. On October 15th, 2022, you head to a sports bar/eating place (of course, you are underage and NOT drinking) and you have the Tennessee, Alabama game playing.

So what's going through the minds of all the people watching this football game and it's like a championship boxing match, each team trading blows and fantastic QB play. You realize, people are so SICK of Alabama winning that to the majority of non gumps, you pick the underdog - the beat down team that's lost the last 15 games and you bond with them, just as you did with the bad news bears as a kid (of course your great grandmother had to pull the VHS off the shelf for you to even cross paths with Tatum O'neal, but remember, you are a non drinking 5 * in Missoula Montana.)

And Tennessee wins on that last field goal. That game was (arguably? ) the best game all season on TV, and you better believe a lot of people were pulling for the orange jerseys that day. Maybe enough for a young hot shot to say, "I'll try Knoxville". That game was a whopping meat loaf and potatoes helping of a steroid shot in the arm for Heupel and the VOLS. That's how you slowly move a program up a few pegs. Kirby got a head start and he's done well, but don't count Heupel out. With a few more recruiting classes and some wins they aren't supposed to get, Tennessee can easily move upwards. There is momentum in that direction.