2015 Bowl Games: A Rooting Guide for Tennessee Vols Football Fans

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Sep 20, 2014; Annapolis, MD, USA; A general view of Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium from outside prior to the game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Navy Midshipmen. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Military Bowl Presented by Northrup GRunman

Who: Navy Midshipmen vs. Pittsburgh Panthers

When: Monday, Dec. 28 at 2:30 p.m.

Where: Navy-Marine Corps. Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.

TV: ESPN

Who Vols Fans Should Root For: Pittsburgh Panthers

This was an easy one.

The Pittsburgh Panthers and Nav Midshipmen are two other teams that do not share a common opponent with the Vols, but Navy is ranked No. 21 in the College Football Playoff Rankings and AP Poll and No. 22 in the Coaches’ Poll, ahead of the Vols in all three polls.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are no threat to Tennessee whatsoever in the Top 25. So if the Vols are to finish ranked, a clear path to get there is for Navy to join Temple and Western Kentucky in losing.

It may seem unpatriotic, but all Tennessee Vols fans should pull against the Navy Midshipmen in the Military Bowl. That will be hard since they are playing in their own backyard.

But Navy never should have been ranked ahead of Tennessee to begin with.

Next: Quick Lane Bowl: Central Michigan-Minnesota

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