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Tennessee football: Ranking games on 2021 schedule by difficulty

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 09: The Tennessee Volunteers celebrate a touchdown during the game against the Indiana State Sycamores at Neyland Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 09: The Tennessee Volunteers celebrate a touchdown during the game against the Indiana State Sycamores at Neyland Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Oct 17, 2020; Knoxville, TN, USA; A view of the stands during a game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020.Mandatory Credit: Calvin Mattheis-USA TODAY NETWORK
Oct 17, 2020; Knoxville, TN, USA; A view of the stands during a game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020.Mandatory Credit: Calvin Mattheis-USA TODAY NETWORK /

5. Ole Miss Rebels

Saturday, Oct. 16; Neyland Stadium; Knoxville, Tenn.

While Tennessee football will be coming off a bye against the Kentucky Wildcats, the Ole Miss Rebels will be the second to last game before the bye. They will be the seventh straight game on the Vols’ schedule, meaning this program will be miserably banged up when the two face off.

That’s why Ole Miss, despite playing in Knoxville, is a tougher game for UT than Kentucky will be in Lexington. Josh Heupel’s first team is thin on depth and can’t afford too many injuries. Such an issue will limit what he can do by mid-October. What happens if Tiyon Evans reinjures himself or one of his receivers gets hurt? Heck, the line is already thin.

Then there’s the talent of Ole Miss in general. Lane Kiffin had a great first year with the team, going 4-5 in SEC play alone and then winning the Outback Bowl. He’s now got them as a preseason Coaches Top 25 team and a borderline preseason AP Top 25 team.

Kiffin returning to Knoxville on an opposing sideline since his 2009 campaign isn’t new, but it’s new with him as a head coach. As a result, this is another game in which we expect the Vols to be underdogs, and since it’s right in the middle of the October gauntlet, it’ll be hard for UT players to keep their focus fully on this game.

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