Who would you pick if we played Iowa this season? I say we beat them again.

[volsboy]

We would match up good athletically with them. What i want to know is how does a team in a P5 conference (the Bucknuts) go through the season til week 11 without playing a ranked team? I do not think that has happened or ever will happen to the Vols. How do you even do that? It seems the Buckeyes are in that situation most years.

[Tnphil]

Noticed last night when the playoff rankings came out we have played 3 out of the top 10 in the rankings this season.....No another team in the country has done that. In 2015 we've played 4 if you count Iowa.

[BanditVol]

Noticed last night when the playoff rankings came out we have played 3 out of the top 10 in the rankings this season this season.....Not another team in the country has done that. In 2015 we've played 4 if you count Iowa.

Which is something I have said earlier this year. It now appears guaranteed that either Florida or bammer (unfortunately most likely bammer) will be a playoff team and there was a long shot OU could get in.  Furthermore the SECC is basically a play in to the playoffs (although some think if UF wins they get excluded anyway, but I doubt it personally).

Although still unlikely for OU, it's entirely possible that half the playoff teams (likely bammer and perhaps OU) will be teams we narrowly lost to.  Going into 2016, that likely will help build the buzz around the Vols.  When pundits look back on our season, they will see we narrowly lost to two playoff teams (who knows, maybe even the champ and runner up) and likely rank us pretty high.

Let me make clear that this is not a statement that our narrow loss to OU is anything to be proud of, or that I am happy we lost narrowly to bammer.  I'm simply talking about what the perception will be of the Vols as a contender next year based on this year's record.

[BanditVol]

Actually I just checked, and it's entirely possible OU gets in.  Here's what could happen...

OSU beats Iowa (or vice versa).....this will definitely happen

OU wins out, which includes beating Oklahoma State....this might happen

then, either Stanford beats ND or FSU beats Clemson

One will happen, two would have to happen for OU to make it anyway, and either option under three is quite possible.

So yeah, it could end up that the Vols narrowly lost to 2/4 playoff teams.  No matter how frustrating the losses, it does show we are almost there. 

[BanditVol]

Another thought is that, no matter what anyone thinks of the Big 12, OU is closing the season against what are definitely the three strongest teams other than OU, and all three (Baylor, TCU, and OSU) have been part of the playoff discussions as contenders.  Winning against three legit playoff contenders to close out the season would have to be convincing to voters.

OTOH, Finebaum has stated that he believes there may be an anti-B12 bias and that this is coming from Barry Alvarez, but who knows.

What is certain is that that Pac 12 will not be in barring a huge slew of upsets.

[HerbTarlekVol]

While we played really well in the Gator Bowl last year, we definitely didn't see Iowa's "A" game, either.  They pretty much tanked it early on in that game, just as some very good UT teams did in bowl games they were disappointed in being in in years past.  A Citrus Bowl game against Penn State comes to mind immediately.  UT was clearly the more talented team on that day, but didn't give a rats ass about being there and it showed. 

That's not to say UT wouldn't have beaten Iowa if the Hawkeyes had actually played their normal game that day.  My point is that while it was a good win, we can't take too much from it.  That game would have no bearing on a UT/Iowa match up in 2015. 

[BanditVol]

That's not to say UT wouldn't have beaten Iowa if the Hawkeyes had actually played their normal game that day.  My point is that while it was a good win, we can't take too much from it.  That game would have no bearing on a UT/Iowa match up in 2015. 

Yep.  It's hard to gauge much from bowl games.  Having said that, I don't think Iowa's team last year was as good as this one either.

[Black Diamond Vol]

Whether they were motivated to be there or not, that team last year was slow.  I mean really slow.  Almost glacier-like.  I doubt they've made up THAT much ground in speed and athleticism in one year.  I suspect that if they face anyone with a pulse in their bowl game, they'll get smacked down again.

[Volznut]

The schedule Gods smiled on them. They are in the big 10 and somehow managed to not play Ohio state, Michigan, or Michigan state.

They will likely finish 12-0 but lose big to someone in their bowl

[BanditVol]

The schedule Gods smiled on them. They are in the big 10 and somehow managed to not play Ohio state, Michigan, or Michigan state.

They will likely finish 12-0 but lose big to someone in their bowl

In the Big "10" championship also

[Volznut]

In the Big "10" championship also

Right, likely lose to Ohio state in that game.