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Tennessee football: Ranking 2020 games by importance

By Caleb Calhoun

NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Mascots Davey Crockett and Smokey of the Tennessee Volunteers pose for a photo prior to a 38-13 loss to Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Mascots Davey Crockett and Smokey of the Tennessee Volunteers pose for a photo prior to a 38-13 loss to Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images /

10. Oct. 24 – Alabama Crimson Tide

There are two factors in this game’s favor that would seem to make it more important for Tennessee football. One is obviously the rivalry factor, even if it hasn’t been much of a rivalry over the past decade and a half. The other, though, is the fact that the Vols would have to put a lot of focus on this game to ever have a chance of winning it.

However, no matter how much focus they put on it, they aren’t going to win. Forget about the fact that the game’s at home. UT is not yet in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s league, they don’t get any scheduling breaks for this game, and Nick Saban owns all of his assistants, including Jeremy Pruitt. This being a certain loss is enough for us to make it the least important game on the schedule.

Only two games have a 100 percent chance of being a loss for Rocky Top, and this is one of them. When that’s the case, they’ll be near the bottom, because all goals for the season are taken into account assuming these losses. Nobody will care if the Vols drop this one. But among those two games, this one actually belongs completely at the bottom.

The reason for that is, if by some chance UT is competing in the SEC this year, Alabama wouldn’t be a divisional loss. They are an SEC West team, which has taken some muster out of the rivalry dating back to 1992, when the divisions split in the first place. Simply put, this loss will be the most meaningless on the schedule, even if there’s a ton to gain from a win.

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