revcort

Yeah, you've got to question Vanderbilt's game plan in this one. After watching SC complete passes at will last week, Vandy came out running it. In their defense, their best QB is a dual-threat guy who is better running than passing. That QB came into the game 4-1 as a starter. So, I get playing to your strengths. They may have thought that was their best bet. But after watching that UT-SC game, I would have been passing the ball. Kentucky had a similar game plan- run the ball, control the clock, pass only when necessary. It worked about as well for them as it did for Vandy. Tennessee can stop the run pretty well. That's a strength. But hey, I'll take it. And to Tennessee's credit, when Vandy did try to pass, they played about as well as I've seen them play all season.

Ha! You can't even spell the insult you're using attempting to question someone's intelligence. Now that's ironic! And hilarious! Too bad you can't edit your ignorance. It's clear Tennessee got under your skin this season, and I suppose I understand why. After all, Tennessee dominated LSU on your home field. It wasn't even a game, really.

Tennessee was ranked in the top 10 this week and will be when they play in their bowl game. If you think Heupel and this team was just a one hit wonder, I think you're wrong there. The Vols have a good number of returnees next season and may well pick up where they left off this season. I guess we shall see. They dominated LSU in Death Valley this season, though. That probably stings.

Well, it was a bad pick, no doubt. But if we're all being honest here, we had some concerns. Speaking for myself, I was a bit worried about this game. The apparent locker room issues were part of it. The mental hit you take losing a game like that, where you couldn't stop anything. Losing Hendon Hooker to finish it all off. Missing a bunch of players to injury. Milton's first start since September of 2021. There were multiple reasons to have doubts. Having said all this, Tennessee left no doubt in this one. The shut-out in Nashville was impressive. I never would have thought this defense would shut anyone out right now, missing most of the secondary. It was a good win. I would have taken a 10-win season if you offered it back in August. I hate missing out on what might have been, but it's still a great season.

That will make things very difficult for the Gamecocks in this game. My initial thought for this game was that South Carolina, in a home night game, had a chance to score enough points to put a scare into the Volunteers. I expected Tennessee to eventually pull away, though. But without Lloyd, who I think is SC's best back, I think they will struggle. Tennessee is one of the best in the conference against the run. SC may break a couple good runs but I don't think they'll be able to sustain drives running. So, it will come down to Spencer Rattler's arm. And here again, I do not doubt South Carolina will make some plays in the passing game, but not enough to keep up with Tennessee. If SC has a bunch of three and outs, this game could get ugly, even on the road at night. The stadium may empty early.

I would agree. That's the only way. If you commit extra guys to the pass game, Tennessee will gash you on runs. But can your secondary cover all of Tennessee's options? Georgia was very physical, jammed UT's receivers and didn't let them release down field. Then their defensive line was able to get pressure with just 4 rushers. Hooker didn't have time to wait for those long pass plays to get open. Can SC duplicate that? Is the D-line getting pressure without LB help? Do they have a guy who can cover Hyatt one on one? He's gonna be looking to make some big plays in front of friends and family. Can they cover Cedric Tillman, Bru McCoy, and Ramel Keyton at tve same time? It's a tall task. My gut tells me South Carolina's defense will give Tennessee some trouble at times but not consistently enough to stop UT from scoring at least somewhere in the upper 30s to 40s. The question then becomes whether or not the SC offense can keep up. This could be another dominant win for the Volunteers.

The key to stopping Tennessee's pass game is in stopping the run first, in my opinion. If you look at the games Tennessee has struggled in, namely Georgia and a little bit of Pitt too, Tennessee kept getting behind the sticks on first and second down runs. Missouri did that some to Tennessee as well, but just not as effectively. And in that 3rd quarter when Tennessee took off it was Sampson's burst in the run game that really sparked it. Once Tennessee hit a couple big runs, the game was over from there. If I'm South Carolina, I'm worried about covering Jaylin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, Bru Mccoy, and Ramel Keyton, but I'm more worried right now that Florida just ran for 374 yards on our defense. The Gators just beat South Carolina 38-6 while only needing to pass for 141 yards in the game. Tennessee's run game doesn't get the press or highlights that the passing game gets, but the Vols are 4th in the conference in rushing at 195.5 yards per game. They also average 348.2 yards passing per game, which is why the run game doesn't seem as critical.

Heupel will never say it, but there is a little extra motivation this week against Beamer. Shane likes to run his mouth. He ran his mouth after SC beat Georgia State earlier this year. “That’s a good football team we just beat. We know there are some other SEC teams that have played these guys and aren’t having the feeling that we have right now.” He was referring to UT's 2019 loss to Georgia St. Those things do not go unnoticed. But I'm glad we have a coach who won't run off at the mouth. It's not Heupel's style. And you won't hear Hyatt run his mouth about not getting an offer from South Carolina, either, but you can bet he will be playing his best on Saturday.

Well, it always stinks to lose a player, but with the emergence of freshman Dylan Sampson in that Missouri game, I'm thinking the writing is on the wall for a guy like Stallings here. If Sampson had understood pass blocking schemes and the offense a little sooner, he would likely have been getting more playing time all along. He is dynamic with the ball in his hands and has a burst that the other guys don't have. I don't think he's quite as strong for short yardage as Jaylen Wright but his speed means he can break bigger plays, and the strength will come as he continues conditioning moving forward. So, I don't blame Stallings for wanting to go elsewhere.

Yeah, what's he gonna say? "Kentucky is terrible! They just got whipped by Vanderbilt at home, you know? The team we beat 55-0 last month? If we lose this game, I may go jump off a cliff! We will likely beat them by at least 40. That "pro-style offense" is a complete joke when you have no offensive line to protect the QB and it becomes even more problematic when that QB is sitting like a potted plant back there. I'm thinking the over/under for sacks of Levis in this game will be around 7. They probably have no chance of scoring if our guys come to play."

clt28203, Georgia won the game, and it was a dominant win, without question. However, if you think Tennessee couldn't score 28 points in a half, you clearly haven't watched the Vols much this season. Tennessee just scored 38 points in 20 minutes of game clock against a previously ranked #13 Missouri defense on Saturday- 66 points and 720 total yards against that defense. So yeah, the rain was helpful. I'm not blaming the rain, but clearly the timing was good for Georgia. That's all I'm saying. Look, I will give Georgia all the credit in the world. They had a great game plan and they executed it. Tennessee couldn't find any traction offensively for most of the game. The crowd was also a big factor, with Tennessee getting a bunch of pre-snap penalties that are not the norm for this group. But I tell you what- let's lace them up again in January on a neutral field and see what happens. What do you say? :)

If LSU loses, they will be out, of course. But if they beat Georgia, the winner of the SEC championship has to be IN the playoff. If LSU wins, I think Tennessee likely drop to 5th and LSU moves up to 3rd or 4th. It would be a tough pill to swallow, but I think it would be fair. I suppose it's possible if LSU wins that Georgia, LSU, and Tennessee could get in, but that would mean TCU gets the shaft.

No, I'd say it's the Georgia fans who wants a safe space, somewhere away from Tennessee. They'd rather playone ANYONE other than Hendon Hooker and Tennessee. And I don't blame them, either. I wouldn't want any part of this for a rematch, because all the psychological edge moves toward Tennessee in a rematch. It would not be on your home field, first of all. Tennessee had just been voted #1 days before that first game which was a gift to Georgia and a curse for Tennessee. Georgia played very well on both sides of the ball. The rain in the 3rd quarter hurt Tennessee's chances to come back. It was the perfect storm of circumstances. I guess we'll see what happens. I think Georgia will beat LSU in the SEC title game and Tennessee will win out and then it's on. I can guarantee you Josh Heupel and Hendon Hooker would thoroughly relish the opportunity for another shot. :)

I've been saying it all season, after seeing Milton in some early games. He appears to have solved the issue with overthrows. His arm is a cannon and his physique is unmatched. 6-5 and 250lbs of pure muscle. I don't see him losing the starting job to a freshman, even a very talented freshman. He has stayed around and earned the first shot at that job. I think he will get it and he will have some excellent receivers coming back, and possibly a transfer or two, to throw to. Heupel is not going to have any trouble finding receivers for this offense. And with Sampson certainly returning at RB, the offense could be clicking once again.

I had to chuckle at that myself. The announcer made that statement twice and as soon as it was out of his mouth Tennessee scored both times. Missouri's offense surprised me for the first 37 or so minutes of this game. I thought Brady Cook played a great game, maybe his best of the season. And I thought Missouri's OC called a great game, too. I was feeling very uneasy when the Tigers cut the lead to 28-24 in the 3rd. When Tennessee hit 28, I thought this game was over, but the Tigers came back to within 4 and I was stunned. But of course it was all Tennessee from there. This Missouri team is better than their record says, in my opinion. Should have beaten Auburn if not for one of the worst breaks at the goal-line this season. Could have beaten Florida in Gainesville. Could have beaten Georgia. Should have beaten Kentucky. Played with Tennessee for 2+ quarters before the Vols offense exploded (which it has done on everyone not named Georgia). This Mizzou team could be 7-3 or at least 6-4 with a few breaks. In the SEC, it is brutal. As a Tennessee fan, we've been there. For MANY seasons, we've seen it. I think Drinkwitz is a good coach. I'm not sure he's worth that much money, but I think he's pretty good.

I agree with you. If LSU beats Georgia in the SEC Championship game, they're clearly in and then it would come down to Tennessee or Georgia, and you have to give that edge to Georgia because of the head to head. I think Georgia will beat LSU, though, and that is what Tennessee fans need to happen. If Georgia wins that game, LSU is eliminated and Tennessee is in as the 4-seed most likely. Loser of Michigan and Ohio State is out. Winner is in as the 2-seed. TCU would be the 3 seed. Tennessee would be the 4-seed.

I'd say this is probably pretty accurate. SC has gotten some breaks this season but the team just isn't very good. Beamer has made the most of his wins, though, as he usually does. The home loss to Missouri is the most telling, followed closely by the abysmal loss to Florida.

Levis would have made a huge difference in that game, no doubt. That was a game that was in doubt to the very end and Kentucky just couldn't move the ball with that backup QB. Levis may not be as good as some thought, but he's capable of making some plays. I'd say the above summation of South Carolina's wins is pretty accurate. Truth is, the best team the Gamecocks have beaten is Kentucky without their starting QB. If you need any further evidence, that Kentucky team went to Gainesville and whipped the same Florida team that just throttled South Carolina.

I was worried about this game for multiple reasons. #1 Missouri's defense looked legit to me. I had considered this defense right there with Kentucky as a very tough D. 2. Record was deceiving coming into the game. Truthfully, should have won at Auburn, could have beaten Georgia, should have beaten Kentucky. Could have easily entered this game 7-3 with a couple breaks. 3. I was worried Tennessee and Hendon Hooker's confidence was shaken against Georgia and they might have a bit of a hangover from that game. I didn't expect Missouri to play so well offensively. When the Tigers cut it to 28-24, I was even more worried. From there, Tennessee turned it on and didn't look back. Good game.

Wow! Afraid much? Ha! The reason it was an elimination game for Georgia is all about the numbers. Georgia's strength of schedule is weak this season. There's nothing you can do about it, but it is what it is. Tennessee's 2 SEC west opponents were LSU and Alabama, so our strength of schedule is just better. So yes, Tennessee may get another shot at Georgia, and on a neutral field. Scary, eh? :D

I can understand why Kentucky fans are mad about this loss because it is embarrassing losing to Vandy, especially at home. I think their issue is 2-fold: 1. The awful offensive line and 2. This offensive coordinator is unimaginative and play calling is vanilla. The other, related issue, is that Levis needs to be able to scramble and pick up yards with his feet. An immobile Levis isn't all that good. Combine that with the other issues above and it's a disaster. But Kentucky fans can't complain too much. This season has been a huge disappointment for them but Stoops is the best coach they've ever had. They don't want him going anywhere. Time to fire the OC, though.

I don't have a problem with Drinkwitz. And this Missouri team has clearly improved throughout the season. I was truly worried about this game. Turns out, I was worried about the wrong side of the ball. I was afraid UT's offense would struggle and might be a bit shell shocked by that loss to Georgia. I figured it could be a low scoring game because Missouri's offense would have trouble scoring. Glad I'm not a betting man or I might have lost the house trying to predict anything about this game. Good news is, Tennessee's offense showed no hangover whatsoever.

The only reason I'm ok with the late TD is that it was the backups doing it. They haven't had much opportunity to play, so I can see it would be tough telling them to just take a knee.

Yes, I have relatives who are Missouri fans and they all say the same thing- "If we had an offense, we'd be competing for the SEC East with Georgia." And then in the next breath "But our offense sucks!" That has been the issue for Missouri all season. Should have won at Auburn. Could have beaten Georgia. Could have won at Florida. Should have beaten Kentucky. If the offense could score, those could all be wins. If I am a Mizzou fan, that's the main concern. Now, against Tennessee, even the defense could struggle. If both the O and the D struggle, it's a long day. But Tennessee got whipped last week and maybe they're still in shock. That's the hope. Catch them off guard hoping for an easy W at home and hit a couple big plays early. then it's game on. As a Tennessee fan, I'm hoping for the opposite of that, but anything can happen.

I don't see Tennessee hitting 40 points in this one against the Missouri D. Truthfully, after last week's performance, I'm just hoping Hooker's confidence isn't shaken so much that he struggles against a good defense. Nobody has beaten this Missouri team soundly except Kansas State, and that was early. I'm worried about a close game. It's a noon kickoff so neither the crowd nor the team will be as hyped as they were in the last home game. Having said all this, I'm hoping for a true a bounce back game. If the Vols can put together some early scoring drives, Missouri may just fold. It's Senior Day, so perhaps we will see some passionate performances from these guys.

The thing that worries me about this game is coming off that first loss and playing against probably the 2nd best defense we've faced all season. Will Hooker's confidence be shaken? Will the we struggle if the game doesn't start well? Missouri has played with everyone they've faced this season, including playing better against Georgia than Tennessee did- the Tigers actually had a chance to win that game whereas Tennessee didn't. Of course, the other side here is that Tennessee may come out ready to prove last week's loss won't define their season and come out ready to play. It will be nice to be home this week. Who knows? I think Tennessee will win but it may be too close for comfort. Missouri has been doing that to everyone.

If I understand it correctly, had he picked up the ball and started running, he's fair game. But since he picked it up and kicked it, he's a protected kicker. It's a crazy call, no doubt. And the timing of that play makes it pretty much impossible for the defender to pull up once he realizes it's a kick.

I'm assuming this is a joke post, satire. That's the only possible explanation. Anyone who legitimately believes Tennessee will only score 3 points is not thinking. Georgia has a good defense, sure, but this Tennessee team has scored 30+ points in 11 straight games. And they're getting better and more confident.

Actually, the plays made by the Tennessee secondary weren't caused by a poor offensive line. Levis got those passes away in plenty of time. 1 of the interceptions was due to a bad pass, the other 2 interceptions were just great plays. Tennessee's defense did take a step up in that game, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. They've been good against the run all season, so Georgia will likely have to beat the Vols with the passing game. We shall see.

Part of it is scheme and part of it is speed and great routes. They create a mismatch with the way they line up and the rest is Hyatt's speed.