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Tennessee football: 5 advantages over Alabama that give Vols a chance

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers brings his team onto the field prior to a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers brings his team onto the field prior to a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images /

5. Tennessee is more excited to play this game.

You know Alabama has to be getting bored. They constantly blow out everybody they play, and although they get to compete to be the best team ever, they’re sleepwalking through games. That level of complacency is always dangerous, and it can always lead to a slip-up somewhere.

What happens if it leads to a slip-up on Saturday? Tennessee football has a level of newfound energy that we haven’t seen from them in a while given their upset over the Auburn Tigers. Yes, they only won the game 30-24. But what’s ignored is all the points left on the board.

The Vols missed an opportunity to get a touchdown on their final field goal drive, which they could’ve done with two more yards. They also had a field goal blocked in the first half. Finally, two more times they were barely held out of field goal range, once due to poor play-calling and another due to a miss on 4th and 1.

By my calculations, that means this easily could have been a 43-24 game. At this point, it’s reasonable to think that’s about the margin of victory Alabama would show at a team like Auburn. What if all those plays are converted the next game and break the Vols way?

It could happen. Again, UT has a ton of excitement right now, and they are playing for pride in a way that no other team is. So perhaps this excitement and motivation could be just what they need to make this a game.

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