The Official Tennessee vs. Indiana Tax Slayer Gator Bowl Game Thread, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN

#104
#104
Eating a late lunch about half an hour from Jacksonville. Really forward to tonight. Go Vols!
 
#107
#107
sjt18 said:
It seems even easier to overestimate an opponent and underestimate our own.

IU played about the same over the course of the season. They were probably a little better team with Penix. They are not a very good defensive team. Their O is scheme based success more than player based success. Ideally you would like to be both. But with teams that depend on scheme, you take things away. IMO, UT has corners that can go man with any of their receivers. That should free UT's LB's up to attack the screens that IU depends on for success.

Take the teams in the Big 10 and match them to the corresponding team in the SEC as far as quality of players. The Big 10 is nowhere near as deep with talent as the SEC. LSU is better than tOSU. Bama or UGA playing against Big 10 competition would have probably been undefeated as well. There are probably 4 or 5 SEC teams in the same category talent wise as tOSU. Michigan is probably second in the Big 10 and would be 2nd tier in the SEC.

I'm not saying IU doesn't have good players but all conference lists are relative... and to a degree political.

Maybe. But I've watched a few replays of IU. Their QB lives on screen passes. I've been critical of JG... but he's done a good job stretching D's the last several games. Mizzou and UK have good pass D's... much better than IU's.

He's a really good player. IMO, stopping him and screens is key for UT's D.

And he's a 5'11", 180 lb kid from FL whose only in state offers were USF and UCF. That doesn't mean he isn't a good player. It does mean that he likely isn't better than a bunch of guys UT faced this year in the SEC.

Have you tried to put context around those stats?

Four of UT's 6 FBS wins came against teams with 6 or more wins. All of IU's wins came against teams with less than 6 wins.... and some of those teams are really, really bad.


Anything might happen. But UT is the more talented team. UT really should be a 9 win team this year. If the team playing at the end of the season had played the beginning of the season... they would have been.

I am not sure where you come down in the recruiting rankings debate. But if they are an indicator of talent... UT averages 16th over their last 4 classes. IU averages 50th. IU has not signed a single player with a 4/5* rating during that period. UT has signed over 30. UT should have an overwhelming talent advantage.
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I agree with most of your points and that's why I've said I'm mostly optimistic about our chances. I just don't think most of our fans who are super confident really know much about Indiana and are just dismissing them a bit too quickly.
 
#108
#108
sjt18 said:
Four words: "Not the same team"
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Well, yeah. I mean, technically it is the same team. But I get what you're saying and I agree that we've made a lot of improvements since that game. OTOH, we nearly blew a sure victory against Kentucky and only beat 6-6 Mizzou by 4 points. It's not like we've put that demon completely to bed. A win tonight would be a big step in that direction.
 
#111
#111
508mikey said:
for crying out loud the freakin Birmingham Bowl is in a weather delay in the 1st Q -- dont tell me ESPN is gonna screw us over again and make us miss the KO
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Yep....I was watching and couldn't believe it!

There has been what seems like a 100 bowl games the past 2 and half weeks and no delays......until the game before us. Unreal
 
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#113
#113
508mikey said:
for crying out loud the freakin Birmingham Bowl is in a weather delay in the 1st Q -- dont tell me ESPN is gonna screw us over again and make us miss the KO
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I would think ESPN would move our game to ESPN News or one of the others
 
#115
#115
Well the BC vs Cinn game is in a weather delay. Looks like our Vols will start on an ESPN alt channel or that ESPN+ crap. Seems like that always happens to us.
 
#116
#116
Hacksaw said:
I agree with most of your points and that's why I've said I'm mostly optimistic about our chances. I just don't think most of our fans who are super confident really know much about Indiana and are just dismissing them a bit too quickly.
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Why does it matter whether or not fans are super confident in a win?
 
#117
#117
508mikey said:
for crying out loud the freakin Birmingham Bowl is in a weather delay in the 1st Q -- dont tell me ESPN is gonna screw us over again and make us miss the KO
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Might miss more than the first quarter. Just announced that they are under a “severe weather delay” and play will be suspended for at least another hour
 
#119
#119
I'm just a plain ol' fan with no special football knowledge, but I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts during the games.

I'm coming out of the shadows this once to say how much I appreciate this team for not giving up after the 1-4 start to the season... What a ride it's been to end up in a bowl game! #GoVols
 
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#123
#123
AuntB said:
I'm just a plain ol' fan with no special football knowledge, but I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts during the games.

I'm coming out of the shadows this once to say how much I appreciate this team for not giving up after the 1-4 start to the season... What a ride it's been to end up in a bowl game! #GoVols
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Welcome
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