Probably an expensive learning opportunity for Heupel and White Danny in that every game matters in the SEC if you want to compete for championships at the conference and national level and the poorly prepared Tennessee defense that laid down in Columbia destroyed what could have been a remarkable season instead of a very good season.
Tennessee has always struggled on the championship level with Florida in the division during the big 90s and struggled with Georgia thereafter before the futility and in fighting set in after Fulmer hit the door. We need to learn to with the conference before we get used to competing in the national playoff, but there are no back doors to the SEC championship game.
Heupel will have other opportunities to hit the playoff slots at Tennessee, particularly after the playoffs expand, but he won't have an opportunity handed to the program like he did this year when all they had to do was defeat Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.
