Tough schedule of All Time

[1985Vols]

Florida and Georgia suck. Do we count them in the tough category?

We played FL when they were a lot more healthy than they are now. We injured their QB Driskell which may have hurt us more than it helped ,since Murphy is a running QB and Driskell wasn't. We had GA on the ropes and should have won but didn't close the deal. If you can't realize we are short on talent and have to play over our heads to beat most teams in the SEC right now, I'm sorry but I can't help you. Just go ahead and stay negative and then you'll be the first one to jump back on the bandwagon when we start winning again. I'm sure of it...

 

[thebjd]

We played FL when they were a lot more healthy than they are now. We injured their QB Driskell which may have hurt us more than it helped ,since Murphy is a running QB and Driskell wasn't. We had GA on the ropes and should have won but didn't close the deal. If you can't realize we are short on talent and have to play over our heads to beat most teams in the SEC right now, I'm sorry but I can't help you. Just go ahead and stay negative and then you'll be the first one to jump back on the bandwagon when we start winning again. I'm sure of it...

I am not whining about the schedule.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I'd like to know how you all think we will be any better off next year? You talk about getting more horses in here and it doesn't make sense to think next years players will be better off. If the new coaching staff can't improve the players that are already there how are they going to improve the freshmen. I'm sorry you should already know how to block and tackle before you get to college level.

No Oregon, Murray is gone from Georgia, Shaw and Clowney are gone from SC, we get a break in the middle of our SEC stretch, Florida is likely to be weaker. Also we don't know how the defense is going to be. It could be good next year. Just have some faith.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Yes the schedule is tough , but outside of Oregon it was three gimmee's and the SEC schedule..........Should we join the Big East ?

So I guess every team plays 7 ranked teams? 5 of which were in the top 10 and 2 in the top 18. Wow so I wonder how many first year HCs around the country have to deal with that? Also lest we forget that toughest schedule is in the toughest conference in the country. The same conference that has won 7 consecutive national championships. Also we had a rookie QB and now have a true freshman QB who will be making his 3rd official start in 2 weeks. You have no idea what you're talking about. You so nonchalantly dismiss the tough schedule like it really means nothing.

 

[GBO97]

I'd like to know how you all think we will be any better off next year? You talk about getting more horses in here and it doesn't make sense to think next years players will be better off. If the new coaching staff can't improve the players that are already there how are they going to improve the freshmen. I'm sorry you should already know how to block and tackle before you get to college level.

It may look like we haven't improved because our record isn't noticeably better, but look at the offensive firepower we lost over the offseason. This year's team is a 5-7 level team talent-wise, while last years team was a 9-3 team that Dooley turned into a 5-7 team. UT's schedule was a bit softer last season as well. Just because our record isn't better doesn't mean improvement hasn't been made.

 

[deaconkane]

No Oregon, Murray is gone from Georgia, Shaw and Clowney are gone from SC, we get a break in the middle of our SEC stretch, Florida is likely to be weaker. Also we don't know how the defense is going to be. It could be good next year. Just have some faith.

Still a tough schedule next year tho.

 

[oregonvol]

I've been saying all season we've got the hardest schedule in the history of football.

Do you actually have any historical data to back that up, or do you think just saying it makes it true? Last I saw, our schedule wasn't even ranked as the hardest this year. We lost to two teams that lost to Vanderbilt. That's hardly the makings of the "hardest schedule in the history of football."

 

[f77f00]

Do you actually have any historical data to back that up, or do you think just saying it makes it true? Last I saw, our schedule wasn't even ranked as the hardest this year. We lost to two teams that lost to Vanderbilt. That's hardly the makings of the "hardest schedule in the history of football."

I don't see us having any kind of consensus most difficult strength of schedule. Some do have us at number one, others at 5, some very different and I don't know which of any to believe.

A couple (I have no idea how relevant these are) :

College Football Power Ratings - College FB Team Strength of Schedule Power Rating

GBE College Football Ratings

 

[KingNick865]

According to opponents winning percentage, Tennessee has the 2nd strongest schedule the country. Purdue has the strongest as of right now.

 

[tarvol73]

Still a tough schedule next year tho.

Next year's is difficult, but not as bad. We have two easy games then Oklahoma, then an open date. Then we get Georgia, and Florida, so two hard games in a row. Then we have Chattanooga, before Ole Miss and Bama, then USC. Again we have a breather before three difficult games. We then have another open date before Kentucky, Mizzou at home then Vandy.

That means we have two difficult stretches of two games and three games. It is nothing like this year with a stretch of @Oregon, @ Florida, breather(?) at home against S. Alabama, then at home against Georgia. Then after an open date, USC at home, @ Bama, @ Mizzou, at home against Auburn. Those two stretches are much more difficult than what we have next year.

 

[oregonvol]

I don't see us having any kind of consensus most difficult strength of schedule. Some do have us at number one, others at 5, some very different and I don't know which of any to believe.

A couple (I have no idea how relevant these are) :

College Football Power Ratings - College FB Team Strength of Schedule Power Rating

GBE College Football Ratings

Thanks. That's pretty much what I have seen too.

So, we have a tough schedule. Most sources rank it in the top 5. One source even has it as #1. FOR THIS YEAR.

And yet, people keep posting here that it is the toughest schedule in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, without any evidence to suggest this.

So this is where we are with the excuse-making. Now we need to pretend the entire history of college football can be altered according to our whims and fancies, just so we can find one more excuse.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Do you actually have any historical data to back that up, or do you think just saying it makes it true? Last I saw, our schedule wasn't even ranked as the hardest this year. We lost to two teams that lost to Vanderbilt. That's hardly the makings of the "hardest schedule in the history of football."

It's the toughest schedule in Tennesse's history.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Still a tough schedule next year tho.

True but I don't think it will be as tough as this year.

 

[Wylo]

It's the toughest schedule in Tennesse's history.

Oregon, Bama, Mizzou, Auburn...

That's not the toughest schedule ever.

It's tough, but hardly worth crying about.

 

[thebjd]

Oregon, Bama, Mizzou, Auburn...

That's not the toughest schedule ever.

It's tough, but hardly worth crying about.

If we were good then Auburn would have the "hardest" schedule of all-time. It is relative.

 

[photovol]

We are the first team since 1993 to play 7 games vs. Top 25 teams and 5 of those have been against Top 10 teams. Most brutal schedule I can ever remember. Compare that to "The " Ohio State University (lol) who has NOT played against a Top 10 team since 2009. We would be a pretty good team if we were in the Big 10 instead of the SEC since we have Big10 sipped but not SEC speed right now. CBJ is changing this and we will have speed in the next few years.

This team would struggle in any conference