Top 10 Ways to Define Success for the 2015 Tennessee Vols Football Season

Dec 6, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; SEC officials on the sideline during the 2014 SEC Championship Game between the Missouri Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports.

8. Winning the SEC Championship

Generally, winning the SEC Championship is the main goal every year for every major SEC team. The other things become icing on the cake. What is also true is that winning the SEC Championship is almost guaranteed to assure your team a spot in the College Football Playoff this day in age.

The biggest drought that has remained in the minds of most Vol fans has been the SEC Championship drought, which dates back to the 1998 national championship season. Unfortunately, given how far the program has fallen, the drought has seemed meaningless since about 2010.

And simply returning to prominence has been the main focus for this program during that time.

Once again, that is the focus this year, so winning the SEC Championship is only a step above the College Football Playoff. Eventually, this is the top goal, but once again, the focus needs to be on returning to a national program this year. That makes it okay if this team does not come away with an SEC title on the heels of a 7-6 season.

It is just too much given that the drought dates back 17 years as it is.

Don’t misunderstand this, though. The football team itself should be shooting for this, as it always should, but particularly this year with so many people having them as a dark horse to win the East. We just can’t call this year a loss if they don’t win the conference.

But speaking of being a dark horse pick to win the East…

Next: #7: Winning the SEC East