Tenn vs teams trending the wrong way.

[volbound1700]

Yah, agreed. And now add Texas and Oklahoma to the mix. We have to win more than we lose against those 5 programs, plus probably throw in A&M and LSU, should they ever get their acts together.

I think we've already started that with the LSU and A&M tier (throw in Ole Miss too, if you wish, though I think they're a blip rather than a long-standing problem). And we're about ready to do that vs Florida. I think we probably beat them at least 3 times in the next 4 seasons. Can't look much further than that, because they'll have a new coach somewhere in that time period, and by 4 years from now he'll probably have had time to get his system and roster going.

We gotta be 100% back to make it a regular thing vs the other four. I think we're close to that. Depends on the defense, and where they are with the new blood in the backfield. That's the one thing I'm most interested in learning about our team. We'll see some of it this Saturday, but then everything will be revealed in 3 weeks against Oklahoma.

If the Dbacks are legit good, we're already there to start splitting games evenly with the best of the best.

Go Vols!

To me, adding Oklahoma and Texas and mixing up the SEC actually helps Tennessee. Part of what hurt us against Alabama and Georgia especially and sometimes Florida was the fact that our opponents tended to have softer schedule than Tennessee as well. Back in the Fulmer and Butch Jones era, that bit us a few times. Even 2022 it would have helped us because we would have been in Atlanta with a rematch against Georgia if there wasn't divisions.

Georgia rarely played Alabama outside of the post season for example. Stuff like that is going to change in the new outlook SEC. Frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing Florida and Georgia gone from our schedule. I felt like Tennessee was a stronger program when we didn't have to play them (especially Florida who we seem to be snake bitten against).

 

[UT/USM_081302]

Yep.

Unless FSU somehow gets its stuff together, ND will likely be 11-0 going into their final game of the regular season against USCw.

Their next-toughest games are probably Army, Stanford, and Purdue. It's an incredibly weak schedule.

Go Vols!

If FSU continues to crap the bed like they have thus far, Norvel will be gone before season’s end. Unfortunately, they will still be talked about as a current great football program because of their name. ND’s only real test left will be USCw, but I think they win that one too. They will go into the CFP as a #5 and get thumped by a #12 SEC or BIG 16 (10) school. USC will lose vs Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame. Bummer Sooner loses to The Vols, TX, Ole Miss, Mizzou?, Bama, LSU?. It’s difficult to determine how good some teams actually are after playing glorified high school teams in their first game. Plus, it’s college football so you really never know. Just my thoughts, but it’s clear that UT’s football program is on the rise, regardless of how much some of these talking heads want to downplay or slow The Vols’ ascension. GBO!

 

[pimo1]

Posting Notre Dame's schedule:

@ Texas A&M (Win 23-13)
Northern Illinois
@ Purdue
Miami of Ohio
Louisville
Stanford
Georgia Tech
Navy
Florida State
Virginia
Army
@ USC

USC is the only team on their schedule with a pulse and I am still not sold on USC. Louisville might give them trouble.

This is a patty cake schedule.

A&M was ranked when they beat them at A&M. Purdue Louisville and GT are not pushover teams. FSU is still a top 25 team til they are not and USC just beat LSU....stop smoking what you are smoking sir. The only 'pushovers' on their schedule are the service academies and Northern Illinois. Those schools are leagues ahead of the fluff most P4 schools schedules. Every team on their schedule would spank UTC, Kent State and UTEP silly. So what does that say about our schedule by your standards? Their weakest P4 opponent is Stanford.

 

[sami]

Notre Dame rarely plays a top 10 team.

A&M did not deserve a top 25 ranking after firing their previous head coach. Now that Texas is back as an in-conference foe, they are no longer the richest program around. They’re headed heading back to “forever mid”.

Brian Kelly is proof that anyone can win 10 games at Notre Dame. He’s building ul loss numbers that got previous head coaches fired at LSU.

Completely agree. The narrative about this 'great' win over a decidedly average A&M team is absurd, but the national media will always overrate Notre Dame, always have and always will. They play nobody of note other than questionable FSU and the also overrated USC, and may well be a 12-0 paper tiger 5-seed in the playoff. Then they get an FCS team at home, after which the clock will strike midnight.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

A&M was ranked when they beat them at A&M. Purdue Louisville and GT are not pushover teams. FSU is still a top 25 team til they are not and USC just beat LSU....stop smoking what you are smoking sir. The only 'pushovers' on their schedule are the service academies and Northern Illinois. Those schools are leagues ahead of the fluff most P4 schools schedules. Every team on their schedule would spank UTC, Kent State and UTEP silly. So what does that say about our schedule by your standards? Their weakest P4 opponent is Stanford.

Pimo, you are revealing either (a) a lack of understanding of the currrent state of college football (which I don't believe can be true of you, you're much more football savvy than that) or (b) a bias while trying to support your position.

Purdue, Louisville, and Ga Tech are most certainly pushover teams for a program destined to the playoffs. Which is what we all agree ND probably is, right? These three are the ND-schedule-equivalent of South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Kentucky. Maybe even Vandy, since our little brothers flexed their muscles this past weekend, heh. That sort of level.

If we agree ND is probably "playoff caliber," and I think we do, then Purdue, Louisville, and Ga Tech absolutely should be pushovers for them.

This is not a strong schedule. In fact, it is the weakest ND schedule I've seen in a long time. Especially with FSU falling apart.

Go Vols!

 

[volbound1700]

A&M was ranked when they beat them at A&M. Purdue Louisville and GT are not pushover teams. FSU is still a top 25 team til they are not and USC just beat LSU....stop smoking what you are smoking sir. The only 'pushovers' on their schedule are the service academies and Northern Illinois. Those schools are leagues ahead of the fluff most P4 schools schedules. Every team on their schedule would spank UTC, Kent State and UTEP silly. So what does that say about our schedule by your standards? Their weakest P4 opponent is Stanford.

At this point, you are probably just trolling but let me post their schedule with the 2023 final records of every opponent

@ Texas A&M (7-6)
Northern Illinois (7-6)
@ Purdue (4-8)
Miami of Ohio (11-3)
Louisville (10-4)
Stanford (3-9)
Georgia Tech (7-6)
Navy (5-7)
Florida State (13-1; 0-2 to start this season)
Virginia (3-9)
Army (6-6)
@ USC (8-5)

Considering that FSU is imploding, this has to be one of the easiest schedules that I have seen a Power 5 team play. There isn't a single top 10 opponent on this schedule unless USC ends up living up to hype. I couldn't watch the LSU vs. USC game because of stupid DirectTV issues with Disney but I know USC under Lincoln Riley has had issues playing defense.

A&M looked bad. I don't see them being better than 7-5 or 8-4 based on their QB play.

Louisville could possibly be a good team. We haven't seen them play anyone yet.

Outside of Louisville, A&M, and USC, everyone else on this schedule is pretty much hot garbage. Maybe Georgia Tech is good but based on what mediocre Boston College did to FSU last night, I am not counting on it.


Yeah, at this point you are trolling. Not only is this schedule the easiest schedule that any playoff contender will likely play this year, it could be one of the easiest schedules in the recent history of CFB played by a major team.

 

[NighthawkVol]

When does Kiffin's daughter graduate from Ole Miss? Im thinking he takes over at Florida after this season and it'll be hell with him there. Not scared, but that's a place he'll be able to get rolling fairly quickly.

I think Florida has more problems than just their coach. Their NIL isn't good. They seem to have administrative issues. I'm not sure that job is as desirable right now as some may think. Kiffin is at a place that has its NIL in order and where they're happy with him is he goes 8-4, as long as he beats the team in Starkville.

 

[volbound1700]

If FSU continues to crap the bed like they have thus far, Norvel will be gone before season’s end. Unfortunately, they will still be talked about as a current great football program because of their name. ND’s only real test left will be USCw, but I think they win that one too. They will go into the CFP as a #5 and get thumped by a #12 SEC or BIG 16 (10) school. USC will lose vs Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame. Bummer Sooner loses to The Vols, TX, Ole Miss, Mizzou?, Bama, LSU?. It’s difficult to determine how good some teams actually are after playing glorified high school teams in their first game. Plus, it’s college football so you really never know. Just my thoughts, but it’s clear that UT’s football program is on the rise, regardless of how much some of these talking heads want to downplay or slow The Vols’ ascension. GBO!

Even when teams play good teams in week 1, you still have teams change across the season. You are not the same team in early September that you are in November.

 

[volbound1700]

I think Florida has more problems than just their coach. Their NIL isn't good. They seem to have administrative issues. I'm not sure that job is as desirable right now as some may think. Kiffin is at a place that has its NIL in order and where they're happy with him is he goes 8-4, as long as he beats the team in Starkville.

True but Ole Miss has a ceiling. Kiffin is going to figure that out this year. I do think Ole Miss' administration has ramped it up but Florida is the only SEC team in Florida and they have considerable more fertile recruiting grounds, bigger fanbase, and make more money. Florida is a lot better job than Ole Miss and Kiffin being at Florida Atlantic and with his high-power offenses just makes sense.

FSU does as well and could be the fly in the ointment. For us, let's hope FSU nabs Kiffin.

At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if both the Florida teams are performing a coaching search at the end of this season.

 

[ntxVOL]

True but Ole Miss has a ceiling. Kiffin is going to figure that out this year. I do think Ole Miss' administration has ramped it up but Florida is the only SEC team in Florida and they have considerable more fertile recruiting grounds, bigger fanbase, and make more money. Florida is a lot better job than Ole Miss and Kiffin being at Florida Atlantic and with his high-power offenses just makes sense.

FSU does as well and could be the fly in the ointment. For us, let's hope FSU nabs Kiffin.

At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if both the Florida teams are performing a coaching search at the end of this season.

I feel like FSU has screwed themselves with the lawsuits and trying to leave the ACC.

Their future is an unknown and landing in the BIG12 doesn't necessarily solve the money issues they've been whining about. Can they keep up with facilities, assistant coaches pay...etc.

If I were Kiffin, not sure I could get excited about going there.

 

[volbound1700]

I feel like FSU has screwed themselves with the lawsuits and trying to leave the ACC.

Their future is an unknown and landing in the BIG12 doesn't necessarily solve the money issues they've been whining about. Can they keep up with facilities, assistant coaches pay...etc.

If I were Kiffin, not sure I could get excited about going there.

Agree.

FSU and all the ACC teams are likely stuck right now. They just need to roll-up their sleeves and win games.

 

[Other_Guy]

Look @ post from J C

People get scolded on here whether they make a "negavol" post one minute or an optimistic projection of the trajectory of the program the next. You can't win on here lol.

 

[pimo1]

Pimo, you are revealing either (a) a lack of understanding of the currrent state of college football (which I don't believe can be true of you, you're much more football savvy than that) or (b) a bias while trying to support your position.

Purdue, Louisville, and Ga Tech are most certainly pushover teams for a program destined to the playoffs. Which is what we all agree ND probably is, right? These three are the ND-schedule-equivalent of South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Kentucky. Maybe even Vandy, since our little brothers flexed their muscles this past weekend, heh. That sort of level.

If we agree ND is probably "playoff caliber," and I think we do, then Purdue, Louisville, and Ga Tech absolutely should be pushovers for them.

This is not a strong schedule. In fact, it is the weakest ND schedule I've seen in a long time. Especially with FSU falling apart.

Go Vols!

You keep couching. Is NDs schedule weaker than normal for them sure but its not a weak schedule. By your standards if we gauge everyone by Georgia 99% of all teams in college football are pushovers. Either a team is good or not. Compared to Elite teams almost all teams are pushovers. But the SoS is a thing and its not based on if the team is weak compared to you its based on what they are compared to everyone else. Almost every team on their schedule is likely bowl bound (with the exception of Northern ill). GT and Louisville are ACC championship contenders until further notice. FSU's second loss takes some shine off GT's win against them but to beat a team with that amount of talent takes some moxie.

But you skipped my main point.... ND did not schedule single FCS team and only 1 directional. I don't know much about Army but I know Navy has a pretty decent team this year and playing service academies is a dangerous thing. As it gets more rare the triple option becomes a bit more dangerous leading to the service academies often punching well above their weight. Funny story Navy has been ND's Vandy in the 2000's mostly losing but getting some big upsets and playing them close more often than not.

I am not a commentator but I follow a lot of football at a lot of different levels. Former Navy so I follow the services academies. I am from Chattanooga so follow FCS. Went to TSU so I follow schools with good bands. Grew up loving UT so I bleed orange and follow all SEC teams since we play them..

ND's schedule is not strong but among teams that are in contention for playoff spots they are not close to the weakest. What they do have is a schedule that's going to likely be rated a lot higher end of season than it is now if the service academies pan out and GT/Louisville (currently ranked) can win 8 or more games which his very possible right now. Purdue has a rough schedule and will probably just eke into a bowl game with 6-7 wins but that's not embarrassing for a team with 4 top 8 teams on its schedule(they play the current 2, 5, 7 and 8 teams).

 

[UT/USM_081302]

Even when teams play good teams in week 1, you still have teams change across the season. You are not the same team in early September that you are in November.

Well sure. I agree with that statement. That could happen for several teams. I don’t see FSU making big leaps of improvement. It’s an effort and attitude problem with them. They have highly ranked prospects on their d-line and got manhandled by a BC team that came into that game far more prepared than FSU. That’s coaching, plain and simple. Effort and attitude is a program culture issue, and yes, that’s coaching also. DJU underachieved at Clemson, was inconsistent with the Beavs, and now it’s the same ole song and dance at FSU. He’s got all the measurables you want in a qb, just never developed. While I agree with your statement in the broad sense, the teams that have been able to turn their seasons around in the past usually have a few things in common such as player accountability and leadership. I could be wrong, but I haven’t seen that from FSU,… or UF either.

 

[TheGoodStuff]

Posting Notre Dame's schedule:

@ Texas A&M (Win 23-13)
Northern Illinois
@ Purdue
Miami of Ohio
Louisville
Stanford
Georgia Tech
Navy
Florida State
Virginia
Army
@ USC

USC is the only team on their schedule with a pulse and I am still not sold on USC. Louisville might give them trouble.

This is a patty cake schedule.

lol yeah…

 

[Woodlawn VOL]

I merely pointed out that Tenn is within reach of some of these schools and trending upward while several other prominent schools are either declining or simply not going anywhere. What is so irrational about that?

Nothing at all! GBO

 

[Boca Vol]

When does Kiffin's daughter graduate from Ole Miss? Im thinking he takes over at Florida after this season and it'll be hell with him there. Not scared, but that's a place he'll be able to get rolling fairly quickly.

UT is 3-22 vs UF in the last 25 games and that's against 6 different UF coaches.

I agree, if they got someone like Kiffin, they could be back in the mix sooner than later.

 

[volbound1700]

Well sure. I agree with that statement. That could happen for several teams. I don’t see FSU making big leaps of improvement. It’s an effort and attitude problem with them. They have highly ranked prospects on their d-line and got manhandled by a BC team that came into that game far more prepared than FSU. That’s coaching, plain and simple. Effort and attitude is a program culture issue, and yes, that’s coaching also. DJU underachieved at Clemson, was inconsistent with the Beavs, and now it’s the same ole song and dance at FSU. He’s got all the measurables you want in a qb, just never developed. While I agree with your statement in the broad sense, the teams that have been able to turn their seasons around in the past usually have a few things in common such as player accountability and leadership. I could be wrong, but I haven’t seen that from FSU,… or UF either.

If anything, both are likely to regress rather than improve.