Posted by BigOrangeVol29 on July 18, 2008 at 7:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Glad to see some new teams on the schedule. It's always great when we get to see some different teams. Cool.

Posted by WereInTrouble on July 18, 2008 at 7:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Great. Now the Ducks will be flogging us unless we can rid ourself of 'The Good Ole' Boys Club Coach' by then.

Posted by FWBVol on July 18, 2008 at 8:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nothing like gloom and doom two years down the road. WereInTrouble, no matter how you slice it, luck, other teams screwing up or whatever, we are coming off the SEC East title and 10-win season that included a nice bowl win over Wisconsin.

Phillip Fulmer retooled his offensive staff without taking the easy way out and hiring familiar faces that were out there.

I for one am excited about the possibilities this season holds. I believe Tennessee football is in for some more great days under Phillip Fulmer. Of course my glass is half full and your's is probably half empty.

Posted by longtimefan on July 18, 2008 at 8:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

too bad we cant play them later in the season. kind of break up that exciting november run of ole miss, memphis, vandy, kentucky and the like! kinda hard to get up for these games unless we're undefeated!

Posted by Navalorange on July 18, 2008 at 8:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good name, yes we "were" in trouble for a couple of years. We will be better, and yes, WITH good ole Fulmer. All you gloom predicters humor me. Its good cannon fodder.

Posted by RJ_Vol on July 18, 2008 at 8:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UT continues to play at least one premier non-conference team per year. The Oregon games should be a blast! I think traveling to Eugene would be an awesome experience. Which uniform will they wear? The national exposure will be fantastic! Also, UT needs to play the Hokies. I think the game or series would be a true classic.

Posted by Navalorange on July 18, 2008 at 8:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hokies. Mountaineers or Longhorns would be good.

Posted by RJ_Vol on July 18, 2008 at 8:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ALSO...What's up w/ the 2010 schedule playing all of those quality SEC teams back-to-back and then finishing w/ the lower tier teams of the conference. UT NEEDS to petition the SEC to spread out its quality opponents. We open our SEC schedule w/ UF, UGA, LSU, and Bama. I realize the LSU game is in the rotating slot. But still...Hamilton needs to step-up or the injury bug is going to bite w/ that schedule. We could begin our conference schedule w/ 4 top 10 teams. I would greatly like to see UF here freezing their cans off in late November - for a night game! It would balance us playing them in the Swamp in early September - in an afternoon game.

Posted by Navalorange on July 18, 2008 at 8:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I never have fully understood the details of why the UF game cannot be moved, RJ?

Posted by Volomatic on July 18, 2008 at 9:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RJ I cant agree with you more. When is the last time we played UF late in the season. We need to try and make some of our tougher games easier and play late in the year in the colder weather ie UF, LSU, UGA. But playing them back to back like that is going to be crucial.

Posted by SFOrange on July 18, 2008 at 9:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good to have Pac-10 on the slate--keep it up.
Here's some more I'd like to see---

Lets be realistic, the big boys won't want to/or can't schedule so lets go near the top:

ACC (ugh): Miami, Florida State, Boston College
BIG EAST: Connecticut, Pitt, Louisville
BIG TEN: Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue
BIG 12: Kansas, Texas A+M, Missouri
PAC 10: Washington, Arizona State, UCLA
WAC: Fresno State, Nevada

Posted by longtimefan on July 18, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

AMEN RJ! got too many crucial games early in the year. save 1 for november!

Posted by nicksjuzunk on July 18, 2008 at 9:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RJ, exactly. Incidently, Florida will never agree to move the game later in the season because that is when they play Florida State and Georgia.

Posted by RJ_Vol on July 18, 2008 at 9:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hamilton needs to push for warm-weather teams to play in Knoxville in November. It's no frozen tundra, but the weather can sure be miserable(i.e. Kentucky games). I know there are lots of reasons why that doesn't happen, but we should state our reasons as well. UF and UGA would struggle in the cold as much as we struggle in the heat. It is high time Hamilton gets our schedule readjusted to give us the advantage that warm-weather teams have on us. If folks don't think weather is an advantage, just take a look at the Packers' playoff record at home! I'd like to see those UF players(most from Florida) and fans in the middle of a November rainstorm w/ the temperature hovering in the upper 40's and a sloppy field. Add in a stiff 20 mph wind and you have true "home field advantage" - and probably the flu. Heck, let's play at night when the temperatures can dip into the upper 20's and the leaves are already off the trees. Now, we're talking! Is there any question as to why UGA and UF don't want to play a late game w/ us. It's pretty obvious no matter what the excuse. It's Hamilton's job as AD to help get us that advantage.

Posted by TurboFan on July 18, 2008 at 9:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Two questions, wasn't there talk about scheduling North Carolina last year? Second, wasn't there also a plan to realign the SEC from East/West to North/South?

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 9:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How is this for some teams we will be facing down the road...........
http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/fu...

I agree that the UT/FL match up should be reversed with the home field. UT & home in Nov. Fl & home in Sept.It would be a s easy as us swithching with Ky and Fl switching with S.C.

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

switching (sp)

Posted by RJ_Vol on July 18, 2008 at 9:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

nicksjuzunk...We're on the same page. I'll even take UF in early November. I agree that UF uses that lame "FSU excuse." Let's play them in early November. Then, they don't have to play UT/FSU back-to-back. They could put us in the South Carolina slot. Hey, this year they manage to play Miami and UT back-to-back w/ an open date in between. That kind of ruins their arguement. They claim they are so good, let's see them here when the weather is nasty.

Posted by longtimefan on July 18, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

WHAT? the sunshine boys playing in cold weather? HEAVEN FORBID!

Posted by RJ_Vol on July 18, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

edit: arguement to argument

mikes70gto...Ouch! Those are some tough non-conference opponents. However on the positive side, the exposure will be incredible. Recruits will always know that they will be in high profile games year-in and year-out on national TV. Plus, they will get to travel to some of the most historic stadiums in the land.

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 9:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

That's why you don't see them scheduling any teams OOC after Oct. Especially away.

Posted by RJ_Vol on July 18, 2008 at 9:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My sources tell me winter is coming early to the East this year. That Nov. 8 game for UF in Nashville might not be a Chamber of Commerce Day. In no way am I insinuating the Gators will lose(DC you can quit typing now), but I'd like to see those Gators huddle up next to the heaters. They have had some brutal Clinic Bowls there - HS championships for those not familiar.

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Turbo-9:35 post. I believe there were talks ,but we would still be in the same division as Fl and Ga.I dont think that will change.Our schedule is set up for UT to have the tougher games in mid Sept thru mid Oct;thus having a semi coast period to finish.That in turn gives us rest and playing time for the back-ups,winning those early games also gives the bowl voters a good look at UT and a shot at a New Years Day game.Could or should UT change the slot with Fl?? Dont know but the more you play the better chance for injury and we don't want that playing the Gators.

Posted by longtimefan on July 18, 2008 at 10:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nashville? has vandy EVER beat Flooradore?

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RJ_Vol..Navalorange

That game was in the making to be played at Bristol Motor Speedway.Dont know if its still in talks or not,but it would be a great setting for a great match up. Brewton Smith said that this game would be on national t.v. and it WOULD break all record attendance for a college game. Can you imagine 130-150,000 in the speedway !!! Man I could hear the noise from my house nearly 15 miles away.

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 10:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oops,the game was with Va Tech.

Posted by RichRollin on July 18, 2008 at 10:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oregon here, sweet! The 2010 schedule looks pretty tough. Look forward to going to Oregon in a few years, never been out there but will have to go. Other than the VOLS going out there, I know they have some BEAUTIFUL golf!

Posted by Navalorange on July 18, 2008 at 10:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UT switching with UK and UF switching SC would be the easiest way. The FSU game seems to have lost its luster as of late, but that probably wouldn't matter, its still a big game in Florida. Hasn't UT played 3 upper level SEC teams within 6 weeks several times in the first 5 games?

Posted by stevefrommemphis on July 18, 2008 at 10:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oregon -- excellent!

I see that the Vols will be doing our part to help Memphis balance their athletic budget in 2010, playing at the Liberty Bowl.

I suggest for the 2010 TBA game a mid to lower level competitor from a BCS conference - North Carolina State from ACC, for instance, or Iowa State or Baylor from Big 8, or Indiana from Big 10 or Pitt from Big East -- somebody that Tennessee should defeat, but doesn't have a direction or hyphen in their name.

2008 has one directional (Northern Illinois) and one hyphenated (UAB). (I don't count South Carolina as a directional.)

2009 has a directional (Western Ky) and Ohio and the game that means nothing if UT wins & everything if UT loses (Memphis) -- terrible non conference scheduling.

2010 has a hyphenated (UAB), the Memphis fiasco, and a TBA.

I thought North Carolina State had been scheduled to play UT in about 2010. What happened?

Posted by vol1994 on July 18, 2008 at 10:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UT and Florida will never switch from September.
In the early 90s that was discussed very briefly but Like someone pointed out, Florida did not want to switch since they play GA in October and their rival, fl State, in November.

we Played Miami Hurricanes few years ago in miami as well as Notre Dame so that is a possibiity down the road. I could be wrong but I believe Nebraska and UT are talking about playing their home and home series in November.

I for one like the schedule and feel we could possiby go 11-1 in 2010..

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My dream schedule would look like this......

UCLA
UAB
KY
AU
No Ill
Ga
Bama
Wyo
Miss St
Fl
S.C.
Vandy

Still the easier way would be for us to play at home in Nov and Fl play at home in Sept.Just switch the Ky and S.C. games every other year.

Posted by longtimefan on July 18, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

only reason memphis play tennessee in football? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$! only reason tennessee play memphis in football? BASKETBALL!

Posted by LadyVolsEighTimes on July 18, 2008 at 11:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Vols will go 11-3. Loses is to UAB, Wyoming, and NOrthyern Illinois will mar an otherwise perfect season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by General_Watermelon on July 18, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Does Oregon have naked people in trees?

Posted by longtimefan on July 19, 2008 at 12:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

OK LVET! go to bed now.

Posted by LadyVolsEighTimes on July 19, 2008 at 12:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Okay Longtime.

Chit can't a gal have a dream?

Every Vol fan could put up with my prediction.

Posted by volunteer_cowboy on July 19, 2008 at 12:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

r u delirious LVET

Posted by LadyVolsEighTimes on July 19, 2008 at 12:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe lol.

But it would be funny if we ended up that way. Drive the BCS and polls nuts.

(Funny Strange, not Funny HaHa)

Posted by LadyVolsEighTimes on July 19, 2008 at 12:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Can some one tell me if there is a way to post to this site, without having to Preview, Post, and then return to the story??

I would appreciate knowing it, if you can send instructions to me.

Posted by longtimefan on July 19, 2008 at 12:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

thats not a dream! thats a NIGHTMARE!

Posted by Volomatic on July 19, 2008 at 1:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I personaly would like to see the orange uni's on that blue field, I don't know if my eyes could handle it but it sure would be fun to watch

Posted by KingsportVol on July 19, 2008 at 6:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

General Watermelon: Your thinking about Oregon State. Beavers!!

Posted by General_Watermelon on July 19, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Kingsport - Ah the Beavers. I may end up in the wrong city, but I'll be sure to bring extra watermelon.

Posted by KingsportVol on July 19, 2008 at 7:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

General lol

Posted by mikevol on July 19, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We continue to be the only SEC team that plays big out of conf. games.. Great job!!!

Posted by richvol on July 19, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The schedule has been loaded with our stronger opponents early in the season for at least 50 years. Prior to that Vandy and Kentucky were actually good football teams. The General was hired to beat Vanderbilt.

It's not as easy to shift games as one might imagine as not only do you have to get your opponent to agree...they have to get their traditional opponent to agree and so on and so on ad infinitum.

The really frustrating thing to me is Tennessee always loses one of these tough early games and then is left out of the NC discussion for the majority of the season. Occasionally, we manage to crawl and scratch our way back into the picture but wouldn't it be nice to be 7 and 0, 8 and 0 or even 6 and 0 and in the discussion for a change?

Losing late in the season is not as damaging as losing early either. Look at how many teams lately have lost late in the season yet still played for the NC. There is Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio State, LSU, Southern Cal, Florida State,etc.

Posted by hiresanders on July 19, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why are ducking Southern Cal? Pete Carroll will play anyone, anywhere. He as proved that by playing Auburn, Arkansas, Nebraska, Ohio St, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, and at Virginia this year. If we are going to play a PAC 10 team, we should play the best and stop playing the other LA school.

Posted by KingsportVol on July 19, 2008 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

hiresanders: We tried that already. We got our *sses handed to us by Cal and the butt naked booty freaks in the trees.

Posted by movol77 on July 19, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

hiresanders, it's time to change your screen name. The world has moved on.

Posted by pdhuff on July 19, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Mikevol -9:10 am Ga is finally going to Arizona St , believe it or not. They went almost 25 years once without leaving the South. Dooley thang.

Posted by brokebackvol on July 19, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I can almost hear the commentators now making cracks about which team has uglier uniforms...you know it's coming.

Posted by nicksjuzunk on July 19, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm all for playing a strong schedule but if Nebraska is getting ready to rise again... I don't want none.

Let's not even talk about USC.

Truth be told, we play a brutal SEC schedule already. The last thing we need is to scrape through that SEC schedule with maybe one loss and then see any chance at a NC go down the tubes because we decided to play some powerhouse team from another conference during the season. Let's save that for the NC game when it's all on the table.

Posted by GatorHater326 on July 19, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

LVET a classic example of why women have Cosmo instead of sports message boards.

Posted by TommyJack on July 19, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lady8: You gonna take that lay....nevermind.

Posted by ncvol17 on July 19, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Quack Attack on the horizon. Which of their 20 uniform combos will they wear. Inquiring minds will take bets..

Posted by mikevol on July 19, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff

You are right I think their last trip was Tex tech around 1966. Ar State not the toughest game but at least they are playing someone.

Posted by mikevol on July 19, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Guys what about Greg Norman..on a side note...

Posted by el_duderino on July 19, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is kind of depressing for me.... 2009 is the last season I'll get to see everyone of the Vols home games. I'll be graduating in December of 2009 :(

Never the less I still look forward to the 2010 schedule. Oregon at home sounds like a possible ESPN night game to me.

Posted by givehim6 on July 19, 2008 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

UT has one of the toughest schedules in the SEC. we do not start out with teams like ohio of miami or eastern philly or teams like that. which is good if we win, but hard to start with a lose.

Posted by BAMABLOWS on July 19, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

wow what a brutal schedule in 2010 ! hopefully we schedule sanfran community college in game one i dont want any more tough games that early .i like that oregon game, they are becoming very trendy with recruits especially on west coast, so it would be good to beat them.just think how ugly that game would be if tenn wears all orange and oregon wears its highliter yellow unis

Posted by BAMABLOWS on July 19, 2008 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

guys you can thank fsu and the good ol acc for tenn playin fla early . ol coach bowden wont change the fsu vs. fla game thus we play fla in the first month of the season every year. so yes the acc controls sec scheduling go figure

Posted by longtimefan on July 19, 2008 at 1:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

when does flooradore play s.c.? isnt that later in the year? lets switch spots with them! i know i know! thats a big rivalry game too! never mind!

Posted by pdhuff on July 19, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

LVET 12:05, did you happen to see our grand performance years ago vs, I believe Wash State.

If this geezer memory is correct, they flung a major whooping on us at Neyland. I had a friend from Philly in for his 1st and only visit to Neyland. Wasn't near enuf Buds that day.

Someone will know.

Posted by longtimefan on July 19, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pd, why did you have to bring that up? those were the bad ole days! dont remember the score. tend to forget those minor details!

Posted by vol4gzus on July 19, 2008 at 4:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

beat washington State I think 7-6 on a kickoff for a touchdown. I be remembering korrectly ya'll?

Posted by vol4gzus on July 19, 2008 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Don't mind playing Oregon if Belotti doesn't have another dennis Dixon type at qb. Belotti has a pretty good record up there where marijuana is legal ya know. Game could be intersting if wind changes directions. Didn't our rb leave here and go there after his girlfriend domestic issues and weed issue?

Posted by murrayvol on July 19, 2008 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mikevol @ 11:47: Amazing! And on his honeymoon no less. Wonder what his evening agenda holds in store. Don't celebrate too early Grego. Nothing like a 4 hour boner to take the edge off your game.

Posted by philfan on July 19, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

WereInTrouble,

Judging from the tone of your comments on this board, I think you meant to have your handle be: We'reInTrouble. This would suggest that you think that only bad times lie ahead for Tennessee as long as our present coaches remain in place. WereInTrouble suggests that we were once in trouble but are now out of the woods and headed for the glory days of Neyland. I am not trying to be a smart aleck, just trying to correct the possible grammatical error and error in meaning.

Posted by huntined on July 19, 2008 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

No way will Fla. ever play late in the year at Tenn. They know at least every other year they will put Tenn in the sun in their stadium and burn their butts up. No way they come up and play in the cold... Look at their schedule every year and they play their toughest weather games early and no cold weather...Tenn early Ken. early only close to cold in Vandy.FLA STATE in FLA Ga in Fla.. So why would they ever want to change..Their a.d. knows how to schedule the Fla team..

Posted by vol4gzus on July 19, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

and now for our weather report we turn to our weather anchor....huntined. So Hunt what lies in store for our area tomorrow? Good stuff on gator scheduling warm weather environs for the most part of their games. No Notre Dame in November huh?

Posted by nicksjuzunk on July 19, 2008 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

vol4gzus,

Yep. That was the great Onterrio Smith. Started to do pretty good in the pros to till he got caught with a fake piece of man fruit to pass a drug test.

Posted by volsoutwest on July 19, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I attended the Wash. St. game in 1994. If memory serves correctly it was Peyton's first start. I believe the final was a 10 to 7 W.

Posted by Jdavol on July 20, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

the last time the UT-Florida game was played in november was in 2001, due to 9/11, and we all know how that game turned out

Posted by BillVol on July 21, 2008 at 1:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Two of our three NCAA track and field titles have been won in Eugene, at historic Hayward Field -- Oregon's famous track and field facility. Hopefully that good fortune will carry over to Autzen Stadium, home of the football Ducks, when we go out there. Oregon has fielded some good football teams of late, so this should be a good home-and-home series.

Posted by tngeoff on July 21, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

murrayvol.

In case mikevol needs this:

http://www.slate.com/id/2119865/

Posted by HilltopperVolPhi608 on July 21, 2008 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't know about you guys but wasn't there someone who was trying to plan a game with Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway to make it the largest football game ever played?

Posted by chad_t31 on July 22, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oregon=15 uniform variations. Vanderbilt=9 uniform variations. Hmmmmm..maybe they could swap and oregon wear vandy's uniform and vice versa.

Posted by VOLstuckINky on July 22, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Looing forward to Oklahoma and Miami coming up ......

Posted by diggerland17 on July 22, 2008 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Looks like 2009 is our year! Go VOLS!

Posted by et_vol_fan on July 22, 2008 at 7 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm not looking forward to playing TBA in '10. They have a young team this year and probably have a break out season by then.

Posted by adamsck on July 23, 2008 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TBA is bad but open date is even worse. We never ever do well against open date. It begs the question though, who would win bw tba and open date? Hard to say. Maybe Adams should do a column on that.