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Tennessee football: Ranking games on 2021 schedule by importance

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /
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ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: A detailed view of Alabama Crimson Tide helmets in a pile during the celebration after the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama won 26-23. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: A detailed view of Alabama Crimson Tide helmets in a pile during the celebration after the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama won 26-23. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Obviously, the main goal for Tennessee football Josh Heupel’s first year on the job is to get to a bowl game. Two things have to happen for that to be possible. Getting to 6-6 is the one everybody knows about. The other part, though, is not being slapped with probation by the NCAA based on this investigation that got Jeremy Pruitt fired and Heupel hired in the first place.

Since the latter is out of anybody’s control, the focus really is just about reaching bowl eligibility on the field, whether or not UT actually makes it to one. To do that, the Vols will have to run the table against all their easier teams. Where should they put the most effort, though?

As we get set to break down the importance of each game, our criteria is basically that: effort. How much will Rocky Top need to exert each game to maintain its path to a bowl? There are some matchups that can be written off, some tossups and some certain wins. Let’s see how they stack up. This is our ranking of every Tennessee football regular season game in 2021 by importance.

12. At Alabama Crimson Tide

Saturday, Oct. 23; Bryant-Denny Stadium; Tuscaloosa, Ala.

When the Vols were in their prime, their most difficult game would often times be their most important game. That was because they had about eight circled wins each year, two difficult but likely wins and about two toss-ups. Now, though, as they try to rebuild it’s the opposite. There are circled losses on their schedule.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are one of those circled losses. Maybe one day this will become a rivalry again, but for right now, it’s a waste of time for UT to exert too much effort on this game. They have no shot at winning it.

Not only is Alabama the best team they play and a road game, but the Tide will be Rocky Top’s eighth straight game before a bye, so as thin as Heupel’s team already is, it’ll be even thinner at that point and severely banged up. Simply put, there’s no possible way Tennessee football wins this game, so the Vols honestly shouldn’t put any effort towards it.

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