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Tennessee football’s five worst-case scenarios if SEC adds Texas, OU

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the outside of Neyland Stadium before a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the outside of Neyland Stadium before a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images) /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

3. Vols in a “pod” with Alabama, Auburn

  • SEC moves to a “pod” system
  • Four teams to a “pod” 
  • Vanderbilt or Kentucky fourth team in the pod with Vols, Alabama and Auburn

A “pod” scenario would involve four teams to a pod with four pods in the SEC. Each team would play all three teams in their pod annually and then six others a rotating basis, assuring that every four-year player travels to every SEC stadium at least once. The top two teams in the SEC play for the SEC Championship with no official divisions.

This could work out for Tennessee football if the Vols are in a pod with both the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Kentucky Wildcats. However, there’s another scenario in which they are in a pod with the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers, who will definitely be in a pod together. Vandy or UK would be the fourth team there, but that won’t matter.

Being in a pod with Alabama and Auburn would just make things too difficult for the Vols. Imagine when they draw the pod with the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators in it. There are too many scenarios in which they would have the most brutal schedule possible.

Again, moving to nine games alone will make things more difficult, but having to still play Alabama every year won’t make things any easier. There are pods that could work, but this isn’t one of them. It would be too disastrous.

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