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Tennessee football: Ranking all 12 games by difficulty on Vols’ 2022 schedule

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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December 21, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Ball State Cardinals mascot, Charlie Cardinal, and cheerleaders cheer against the UCF Knights during the first half of the St. Petersburg Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
December 21, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Ball State Cardinals mascot, Charlie Cardinal, and cheerleaders cheer against the UCF Knights during the first half of the St. Petersburg Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Ball State Cardinals

Thursday, Sept. 1; Neyland Stadium; Knoxville, Tenn.

Of the three non-Power Five schools Tennessee football faces, the Vols’ opener against the Ball State Cardinals is the toughest one. Now, it’s not a trap game like the other two, as fans will be thrilled and excited beyond belief about the start of the season, the way they always are. That it’s on Thursday night only makes it more exciting.

However, Ball State’s talent as a team still overrides that. Entering their seventh year under head coach Mike Neu, the Cardinals are coming off back to back bowl appearances, including the MAC Championship in 2020. Sure, they only went 6-7 last year, but this program is on the rise.

Now, don’t get it twisted. This isn’t some tough Group of Five team. Ball State loses three All-MAC offensive players, including its quarterback, and most of its secondary. That type of attrition for a program on their level means they shouldn’t be any threat.

It’s not enough of an attrition, though, to suggest this team can’t reload, and it’s also not enough to put them below an FCS program or Akron. None of these non-Power Five schools should put UT on upset alert, but the Georgia State Panthers in 2019 showed that anything’s possible, so the Vols can’t coast by.

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