Pick one "Must Win Game " this year.

[jakez4ut]

Why isn't the '03 UGA game on this list?

good question...that would just add to the fact that we need to be better at home, period.

 

[utvolpj]

bammer. Win that and the rest is gravy for me.

 

[statman]

You take it one game at a time CAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VolinArizona]

Why isn't the '03 UGA game on this list?

We were 2 point dogs in that game.

 

[OrangeSquare]

A little off topic, but something I figured up the other day needs to be said. It was the "Gaffney" (Loss in 2001) game against Florida that took our homefield advantage.

That loss broke a 23 game home win streak and a 15 game home SEC winning streak.

Since that game we are 16-8 vs. SEC teams at home.

 

[jakez4ut]

A little off topic, but something I figured up the other day needs to be said. It was the "Gaffney" (Loss in 2001) game against Florida that took our homefield advantage.

That loss broke a 23 game home win streak and a 15 game home SEC winning streak.

Since that game we are 16-8 vs. SEC teams at home.

that was in 2000...in 01 we beat them in Gainesvile on the last game of the year due to 9-11.

 

[tvolsfan]

that was in 2000...in 01 we beat them in Gainesvile on the last game of the year due to 9-11.

i was maybe as happy then as i was watching the national championship. the rivalry game seemed so much better on the last game of the year, not the first conference game.

it was pretty much a semifinal to the sec championship. it was in the swamp last game of the year. we were number 4, but everyone still thought were going to get our a$$es kicked.

we won there for the first time in like 30 years, and we damaged grossman's heisman chances. not only that, that gave us the sec east. and to make it better, that was the last time sos was at florida.

 

[cd12]

The mental game!

 

[wncvolfan]

Or, to compare it to poker, its 100 % skill and 100 % luck.

Huh????????

 

[Fadeproof]

and UGA is coming to Knoxville

Game this year is in Athens, and your most important game this year has got to be CAL. Start off good and get the ball rolling. Remember last year the first game with UAB (I think) that game was alot closer than it should have been and could have raised more questions than confidence.

 

[#10_Ainge_#10]

Florida

 

[volmanal]

Georgia!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JonWard]

Florida
But if we can win at least 3 of the following:

Cal, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and LSU

then I'll still be satisfied....

I totally agree. If I had to chose one, I would choose Florida, because starting 1-2 would not be good.

 

[WA_Vol]

Lose one game to an SEC east opponent and your most likely not going to play for the SEC championship. Those are all must win games. :scare:

 

[OWB]

I totally agree. If I had to chose one, I would choose Florida, because starting 1-2 would not be good.

Any relation to THE John Ward?

 

[JonWard]

Any relation to THE John Ward?

No, but you cannot imaging how many times I was asked that when I lived in Knoxville in the 90's. Well, you prolly can.

Most stated phrase I made during that time, "Yep, just like the Voice of the Vols!"

:yes:

 

[allvol123]

Lose one game to an SEC east opponent and your most likely not going to play for the SEC championship. Those are all must win games. :scare:

agreed. not sure why anyone would call Cal the must win game.

 

[hvwarrior58]

The reason it is a must-win is that we can't start out the season with a loss. Cal is overrated, though it does have talent. If we lose to them, I think there is a good chance that we start out 1-2 because I don't think the team will respond well.

 

[allvol123]

The reason it is a must-win is that we can't start out the season with a loss. Cal is overrated, though it does have talent. If we lose to them, I think there is a good chance that we start out 1-2 because I don't think the team will respond well.

losing to Cal would have no direct impact on SEC standings, thus it is not as important as any SEC game.

 

[hvwarrior58]

Do you not understand what I'm saying? The game doesn't impact the standings, yes, I understand. It can affect the rest of the season though. If we start out with a bad loss, we won't even be worrying about winning the SEC. We will be worrying about even finishing .500. The psyche of this team will be so damaged from starting out with a loss that they may fold up before we even get to SEC play.

 

[tidwell]

It's important for the confidence of the team and for the fanbase to start off with a win. I guess if it's a good loss, if there is such a thing, it won't be as bad, but they absolutely cannot come out in the first game and fall flat on their face.

 

[hvwarrior58]

You have to think about the indirect impact as well as the direct.

 

[allvol123]

Do you not understand what I'm saying? The game doesn't impact the standings, yes, I understand. It can affect the rest of the season though. If we start out with a bad loss, we won't even be worrying about winning the SEC. We will be worrying about even finishing .500. The psyche of this team will be so damaged from starting out with a loss that they may fold up before we even get to SEC play.

they lost to Vanderbilt last year, not sure the psyche could be any worse. You start off with a non conference loss to a ranked team and this causes the team to fold and not worry about winning the SEC? That is absurd, if their will is that weak they cannot win anything.

 

[kptvol]

they lost to Vanderbilt last year, not sure the psyche could be any worse. You start off with a non conference loss to a ranked team and this causes the team to fold and not worry about winning the SEC? That is absurd, if their will is that weak they cannot win anything.

If the psyche could not be any worse, than a win against Cal is all the more necessary. Their psyche needs repair, and a good way to do that is to build confidence by knocking off a highly ranked opponent. Plus, if we can't beat Cal, I think you can forget about winning the SEC. I don't think Cal is going to be a tougher test than LSU, Florida, or whoever the west representative is in the SEC championship game. If we lose to Cal you can expect more losses.

 

[allvol123]

If the psyche could not be any worse, than a win against Cal is all the more necessary. Their psyche needs repair, and a good way to do that is to build confidence by knocking off a highly ranked opponent. Plus, if we can't beat Cal, I think you can forget about winning the SEC. I don't think Cal is going to be a tougher test than LSU, Florida, or whoever the west representative is in the SEC championship game. If we lose to Cal you can expect more losses.

here we go again with the 'if we can't beat Cal we can't win the SEC'", not sure where that is logical. Georgia couldn't beat West Virginia but they managed to win the SEC. Sure a win against Cal is greatly desired, but it is not the must win game if you had to choose one. We are not in the PAC-10 last time I checked.