Vols Fans Should Be Happy Florida Beat LSU

The Tennessee Vols lost their chance at winning the SEC East on Saturday when the Florida Gators beat the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge.

Thousands of Vols fans let a out collective moan at Neyland Stadium on Saturday when they learned that Florida had knocked off LSU, ending Tennessee’s SEC East title hopes.

Winning the SEC East, obviously, was the goal for the Volunteers entering the 2016 season.

And that goal looked more than attainable after back-to-back wins against Florida and Georgia.

It even still looked very attainable after the Vols lost to Texas A&M and Alabama in consecutive weeks.

But then Tennessee went and lost on the road against South Carolina and it changed the entire landscape of the SEC East.

The Vols were no longer in control of their own destiny. That’s not a fun position for any team.

Heading into Saturday, Vol fans were feeling pretty confident that Tennessee would still end up winning the East. ESPN even suggested the Vols’ odds to win the East were better than Florida’s.

It was pretty simple. All the Gators needed to do was lose to LSU and the Vols needed to win their final two games.

Florida was a two score underdog to LSU and Tennessee was favored against Missouri (and they should be favored against Vanderbilt).

But, as you’re well aware by now, the Gators upset LSU. Which made the Vols’ rather large win against Missouri irrelevant in the SEC East title picture.

Not winning the SEC East, however, might not be the worst thing to happen to Tennessee.

Stay with me here.

A lot of Vol fans on social media were already saying if UT was to “back in” to the SEC Championship game that it would be “tainted”. Because of the Vols’ loss to South Carolina.

I’m not saying I agree with that line of thinking, but I do see why some fans feel that way.

But that’s not why it’s a good thing Florida beat LSU on Saturday.

Regardless of what Florida did on Saturday, the Vols’ goal to finish the season, after the South Carolina loss, was to win out.

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The Gators beating LSU doesn’t do a thing to prevent Tennessee from reaching that goal.

Had LSU beat Florida, however, that goal probably wouldn’t have been achieved.

The Vols would’ve had a rematch with Alabama, and we all know that wouldn’t have went well.

That’s no sleight against Tennessee. Alabama is just that good this season.

So Florida is essentially going to be a martyr and take the drubbing from the Crimson Tide in place of the Vols.

And that’s not the only gift the Volunteers may receive out of this blessing-in-disguise.

Tennessee, if they finish the season with a win against Vanderbilt next week, is looking at a possible Sugar Bowl bid.

If they were in Florida’s place, that probably wouldn’t be the case.

I know a lot of fans are disappointed the Vols didn’t win the SEC East for the first time since the 2007 season.

But given the way things transpired this season, especially when you consider the litany of injuries and attrition, I think a berth in the Sugar Bowl would be a fantastic way to cap off the season.

Butch Jones has caught a lot of flack this season, despite the fact that a lot of things have been out of his control.

Jones is possibly going to get the Vols to the Sugar Bowl and have a chance to win ten games this season (wouldn’t it be sweet if that tenth win came in a rematch with Oklahoma?). I don’t think there are many Vol fans that would be disappointed with that outcome.

Next: SEC Game Picks Revisited And Reviewed

So how do you feel about Florida beating LSU? Do you think the Vols are in a better position now than the Gators?