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Tennessee football 2021-22 bowl game rooting guide: Vols’ path to top 25

By Caleb Calhoun

Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football
Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football /
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Jan 4, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; General view of a the goal post with the Armed Forces Bowl logo during the game between the Tulane Green Wave and the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; General view of a the goal post with the Armed Forces Bowl logo during the game between the Tulane Green Wave and the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Wednesday, Dec. 22)

Missouri Tigers over Army Black Knights

We get to our first bowl game where things are mixed a bit. Tennessee football is going to have recruiting battles with the Missouri Tigers for years to come. Indeed, both teams had top 20 classes, and Mizzou was ranked higher in one while UT was ranked higher in the other.

However, a bowl game against a Group of Five team isn’t going to impact that too much. On the other hand, this game could impact the Vols in multiple ways, one in giving them a quality win and the other in the top 25.

On the quality wins front, UT blew out Mizzou 62-24 in Columbia, Mo. earlier this year. If Eliah Drinkwitz’s team wins this game to finish 7-6, that makes them somewhat more of a quality win for Rocky Top. It also adds to the SEC pride for anybody who still takes that seriously.

Meanwhile, Mizzou is 6-6 and lost to UT. The Army Black Knights are 8-4 and receiving votes in the AP Poll. As a result, the Vols need Army to lose to make sure they leapfrog them. Mizzou has no shot of moving ahead of the Vols with a win provided the Vols win their game, so it’s pretty obvious for Vol fans to root for the Tigers here.

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