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Tennessee Football’s schedule isn’t as bad as it appears

By Colton Pickard

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the "SEC" logo on an end zone pylon during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs at Neyland Stadium on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the "SEC" logo on an end zone pylon during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs at Neyland Stadium on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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The SEC released the two extra cross-division opponents for the 2020 schedule, and Tennessee Football’s schedule isn’t as bad as it appears.

The freakout has begun as the fix is in for the SEC to protect its powerhouses while they screw over teams like Tennessee football, but the Vols’ 2020 schedule isn’t as bad as it could’ve been.

Yes, five of Tennessee’s ten opponents are ranked in the preseason top-25, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll finish there or be in the top-25 when they play the Vols.

We already knew that we would have at least three opponents in the top-25. Alabama, Florida, and Georgia are on the schedule every year, and they’re going to be ranked for a while, so there’s nothing new coming from that front.

The unfortunate part about the new ten-game schedule is Tennessee is adding two more top-25 opponents to its slate. The SEC has awarded Tennessee with No. 11 Auburn and No. 13 Texas A&M.

Adding two teams that high ranked seems scary at first, but if you look at their recent history along with what Jeremy Pruitt has been putting together at Tennessee, it shouldn’t be all that scary.

Last season, Auburn finished with one more win than Tennessee last season and didn’t look much more impressive for a decent amount of the season. Auburn is beatable, and the Vols should know that after going into Jordan-Hare and beating the Tigers in 2018.

Texas A&M finished the 2019 season with the same record as Tennessee. The Aggies went 4-4 in SEC play, which means they’re also beatable. The Vols also get the Aggies in Knoxville.

I think both Auburn and Texas A&M are more beatable than Oklahoma, so if you were confident that the Vols were going to go into Oklahoma and beat the Sooners, then you should carry that same confidence into Tennessee’s two games against their new opponents.

I don’t want to overhype the Vols or give false confidence, but there’s no reason why Tennessee should beat Oklahoma in 2020 and not Auburn or Texas A&M. Oklahoma is ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll, so if the Vols are good enough to beat No. 6, then they can beat No. 11 and No. 13.

I don’t think the Vols will win both games just because I’m sure the schedule won’t fall in the Vols’ favor, and they’ll have to play top-25 teams back-to-back, but I do expect one of these games to have a “W” next to it.

Next. Tennessee Football falls short of Top 25 Coaches Poll. dark

We should’ve fully anticipated that the SEC would protect its assets and do what they had to do to give them a legitimate chance of making the College Football Playoff while leaving Tennessee and others behind. But it’s not going to be as bad as it seems. Just take a deep breath and relax.

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