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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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MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 30: A general view outside of Hancock Whitney Stadium before the start of the 2021 Resse’s Senior Bowl on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 30: A general view outside of Hancock Whitney Stadium before the start of the 2021 Resse’s Senior Bowl on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

LendingTree Bowl (Saturday, Dec. 18)

Eastern Michigan Eagles over Liberty Flames

There are no top 25 implications in this one. The Eastern Michigan Eagles and Liberty Flames are both 7-5. Neithewr team is receiving any votes in the AP or Coaches Poll right now. No matter what, if Tennessee football wins its bowl game, the Vols will be ahead of the winner and the loser of this bowl game, so no top 25 implications are in play.

However, recruiting implications, believe it or not, are in play. Look, Liberty is a sleeping giant. They have invested heavily in athletics in recent years, and they could be on a path toward becoming the evangelical protestant version of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The investments and infrastructure in the school will help that, but they also have the right coach in Hugh Freeze, a guy UT fans wanted to hire a year ago. Freeze, despite a bit of a down year, may be building a powerhouse among Independents that we haven’t noticed yet.

If that happens, well, Liberty is in a neighboring state, and recruiting competition could get just a bit stiffer. Similar to the MTSU situation, the Vols need to avoid as much competition like that as possible. That means rooting against Liberty in a bowl game like this.

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