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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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images /

22. VRBO Citrus Bowl

No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide over No. 17 Michigan Wolverines

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020; 1 p.m. ET; Camping World Stadium; Orlando, Fla.; ABC

Once again, this is one with minimal impact. And the hatred of the Alabama Crimson Tide may be enough for Vol fans to root for the Michigan Wolverines over them anyway. However, the opposite will be much more beneficial for Tennessee football in more ways than one, and we detail all of them here.

The most clear one is similar to the Georgia Bulldogs one. There is SEC pride in Alabama winning, and Alabama winning boosts the Vols’ strength of schedule. They have a selling point to say they faced Alabama and Georgia. But that alone is not why we have this game at No. 22, ahead of Georgia winning on this list.

It’s also there because Michigan is ranked No. 17. So unlike the Baylor Bears, there’s an outside chance that Jim Harbaugh’s team falls out of the top 25 if they lose badly enough. As a result, similar to the Auburn Tigers over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, UT fans should be rooting heavily for a blowout in this game.

Finally, though, Michigan losing could have a negative impact on them in recruiting. Alabama losing won’t stop Nick Saban from winning recruiting battles against Jeremy Pruitt. But Harbaugh could further struggle if his team loses, and don’t forget, UM just had Aubrey Solomon transfer to Rocky Top. So that makes for three decent reasons for UT to root for the Tide.

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