LOOK: Tennessee's cross-division record lags behind rest of SEC
Every year, SEC teams play two squads from the opposite division in East-West crossover games.
Those games feature one fixed “rivalry” opponent and one rotating opponent, and the rest of the SEC schedule is made up of games against teams in your own division.
Since 2010, Tennessee has failed to win a single crossover game, which means they are six years behind the next-longest drought in the conference:
Last season with a win over a cross-division opponent:
Alabama: 2017
Auburn: 2017
Georgia: 2017
LSU: 2017
Ole Miss: 2017
Mississippi State: 2017
Missouri: 2017
South Carolina: 2017
Texas A&M: 2017
Arkansas: 2016
Florida: 2016
Kentucky: 2016
Vanderbilt: 2016
Tennessee: 2010— Matt Smith (@MattSmithCFB) June 16, 2018
No, playing Alabama every year doesn’t help the Vols, but having zero wins against other SEC West foes since 2010 is unacceptable. The Vols have lost to LSU (2017), Texas A&M (2016), Arkansas (2015), Ole Miss (2014), Auburn (2013), Mississippi State (2012), LSU (2011) and Arkansas (2011) in that span. Their last victory came in 2010 against Ole Miss.
That streak is unlikely to end this year, as the Vols travel to Auburn and host Alabama in Jeremy Pruitt’s first year as head coach.