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It’s time for the Vols to schedule cupcakes in non-conference

By Billy Williford

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 31: National championship winning coach and current University of Tennessee Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer served as the 12th Titan prior to the season finale at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. (Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 31: National championship winning coach and current University of Tennessee Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer served as the 12th Titan prior to the season finale at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. (Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Tennessee’s football schedule continues to be one of the toughest in the country. It seems like the Vols are trying to make it harder on themselves every year.

Related Story: Ranking the top 10 in-state Vols for 2018

Every summer Tennessee football fans around the country look at the upcoming season’s schedule. Looking at a schedule is an opportunity for fans to get excited about football. Or in Tennessee’s case most seasons, come to terms with one of the hardest schedules in the nation.

Now, there is not much Tennessee can do about their schedule. They play in the toughest conference in the SEC. Their cross-division rivals are Alabama, and now Georgia looks to be a powerhouse in the making. Maybe the Alabama of the East.

That is not even mentioning the fact that the Vols second opponent from the West Division always seems to have an exceptional season. Take the 2016 season for example when Tennessee drew Texas A&M in College Station. The Aggies were undefeated and were playing great football at the time.

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So, there is not much the Vols can do about conference play, but Phillip Fulmer can help out when it comes to non-conference games.

Let me preface this discussion/article by saying watching two “Power 5” teams play is always the better option. However, Tennessee needs all the help they can get the next couple of years.

Historically, Tennessee has always scheduled at least one tough non-conference opponent. Which recently, has meant another loss on the schedule for the Vols. Starting in 2010, the Oregon Ducks made the schedule. They were ranked No. 7 at the time and beat the Vols 48-13.

Sprinkled in the 2014 and 2015 seasons was a home and home series against the Oklahoma Sooners. Which turned out to be two stinging losses for the Vols. Tennessee had a chance to beat them both seasons, and honestly one could make the argument they should have.

The start of the 2018 season begins with the West Virginia Mountaineers who should have a fantastic offense. They will not make it easy for a Tennessee defense switching to a new scheme.

BYU shows up for the 2019 season, and Oklahoma finds their way back onto the schedule in 2020.

Again, two “Power 5” opponents playing against each other is good for college football. However, Tennessee isn’t good enough to play those teams right now.

Don’t freak out; I’m not suggesting Tennessee is not a great football program because it is, but would four guaranteed wins every single year for awhile not be good for the fan base and program?

With four wins guaranteed, Tennessee would only have to win two more games to make a bowl game. Now, a bowl game is not the end all, be all. But, I think most fans would take ten win seasons over an unfavorable schedule for a couple of years.

Next: Ranking the top 10 out-of-state Vols for 2018

New athletic director and former coach Phillip Fulmer is not going to want to play cupcakes. However, the Vols should pad the wins for a couple of years until they are competitive with the best.

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