VTTW Board Index

5 SEC teams in Top 10.

1. Alabama
3. Georgia
7. Lsu
8. Florida
10. A&M
20. Auburn
23. Missouri

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25-college-football-rankings-2019

I think or hope that Florida is too high, but Mullen did overachieve last year.  Let's see what he can do this year.  He won't catch anyone snoozing that's for sure, and maybe we don't turn the ball over 50 times.

A&M expectations with Fisher as coach certainly justified, but they haven't done it yet, so I will say perhaps they are too high also.

Other than that, can't argue much.

Vols definitely should be nowhere near that list, unfortunately, but next season will be different if this one goes as I hope.

Shocked that Nebraska is ranked 17th....They have been in the depths of football hell longer than we have. They did finish strong last year after starting IIRC 0-5.

Agree that Nebraska is over rated in that poll. 

I read through some of the comments, and they point out that Auburn has played for the NC one year, come close to the playoffs the other, and in between were nothing but 8 or less win seasons.  So is it acceptable to have a legit shot at the NC about once every 4 years surrounded by mediocrity?  Hm, I think that's my minimum standard.  Malzahn is under pressure for sure though, so I guess it's less than acceptable for most Auburn fans.

We play four of these teams plus Miss St. On the other hand we have a supposedly favorable schedule. Do we? I am saying that a decent Vols team could go 10-2 with our schedule. Losing to Bama and UGa. I say we go 7-5 with hopes that I'm wrong. I also predict we win one we shouldn't and lose one we shouldn't. I just can't see one of the loses being KY or Vandy. South Carolina may be our "good grief" game.

As much as I hate to say it, I wouldn't underestimate Vandy.  They have won three straight and last year's was ugly.  I am hopeful that losing their QB will be the difference, and also hopeful that this year's team does not mail in the last two games like last year's apparently did.   We have a great chance to beat Vandy but I'll believe it when I see it (and it pains me greatly to say that  :banghead:.)

This is where we are and it effects top recruits from committing.....It's a 2 edged sword where you need wins to show improvement and then you need talent to win and show improvement. As good as the Auburn and KY (should never say KY is a good win) win were they were offset by the butt kicking's Mizzou and Vandy gave us. Pruitt needs to beat the likes of USC....Vandy...Mizzou...Miss State and get us to a bowl game where we have improvement to show....Pruitt has recruited good but not great and we need to land more difference makers and higher ranked classes to get us closer to competing against the Florida's and UGA's who we have to beat to win the East.

Agree.  We are nowhere near the top (Uga and UA) and may not be up to even Florida standards (perhaps 2nd best in East), but we have got to start beating those "middling" teams to make any progress.

Mizzou depends on how well Bryant does, but preseason they are the toughest to me.  Vandy without QB (Shurmer I think) and at Neyland should, and I emphasize should, be very winnable.  USC jr, it's time to turn the tide against them, we have had so many close ones, but again it's at Neyland, so maybe this is finally the year.  MSU depends....they lost a ton from last year and I'm not sold on their new coach yet, he won last year with Mullen's team it will be  much more on him this year, and again it's at home.

I don't think it too unreasonable to hope for a sweep of the four, but I'll say a 50-50 split while holding serve against Kentucky is the minimum acceptable to me.  That and a sweep of the OOC get us to 7-5, which is widely expected of the Vols this year.