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Tennessee football: Vols fans 2019-2020 bowl game rooting guide

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images /

24. Outback Bowl

No. 9/13 Auburn Tigers over No. 16 Minnesota Golden Gophers

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020 at 1 p.m. ET; Raymond James Stadium; Tampa, Fla.; ESPN

Once again, this is an SEC team Tennessee football did not play, and it’s almost certain that neither team will drop far enough for the Vols to surpass them, regardless of what happens in this game. However, the SEC pride and opponents’ opponents thing is still a factor, and UT has four opponents on the year who did face the Auburn Tigers.

It’s also worth noting that while Auburn wouldn’t drop with a loss, there’s a chance the Minnesota Golden Gophers do drop pretty far if they suffer a blowout loss. That makes this game slightly more impactful on Rocky Top than what LSU does because Minnesota, being No. 16 in both polls, could indeed fall out of the polls if they are blown out bad enough.

As a result, UT fans should be rooting for Auburn to dominate Minnesota in this game. With the Tigers as a seven and a half point favorite, a pretty big line, it’s possible. The Tigers probably should have earned a New Years Six bid, but the Georgia Bulldogs losing to the LSU Tigers lessened the room there was for another SEC team to make it.

Still, Auburn at least deserved a Citrus Bowl bid after that. Either way, they should be motivated by being relegated to the Outback Bowl, and UT fans could use Gus Malzahn’s team to win in dominating fashion. Doing that could slightly help them, even though it’s not the biggest deal.

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