All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee football’s 2022 schedule: Ranking games 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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 12
Next

With high expectations surrounding Tennessee football this year, the list of toss-up games has increased exponentially. Given the nature of the schedule, the circled wins are about the same, but there are much fewer circled losses, and that changes how Josh Heupel and the Vols should direct their focus this year.

As we get set to rank the importance of every game on UT’s schedule, circled games either way are always at the bottom, and the toss-up level will be a factor in how high a game is. The impact each game has, whether it’s a conference or divisional game, is also a big deal.

Finally, the rivalry nature of the game from the perspective of Tennessee football is crucial. This is about which games the Vols should put more focus on throughout the year in order to have the most successful season they can possibly have. Here is our ranking of all 12 games on UT’s schedule by their level of importance.

Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Checkerboard end zone at Neyland Stadium before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Checkerboard end zone at Neyland Stadium before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

12. Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks

Saturday, Oct. 22; Neyland Stadium; Knoxville, Tenn.

This is not the easiest game on the Vols’ schedule. A loss would also be devastating, as it’s against an FCS team. Add in the fact that it’s homecoming weekend, and there are plenty of reasons to see this matchup, while on the less important side of things, as not the least important game for UT this year.

However, it’s easy enough that Rocky Top should sleepwalk to a win. The UT-Martin Skyhawks are tougher than most FCS teams the Vols have played, as they won the Ohio Valley Conference last year and return everybody, but it’s not enough for them to be any legitimate threat.

When you add in the fact that winning this game will do less for the Vols than any other game on the schedule and that losing it, while devastating, is still technically not a conference loss, of course it belongs at the bottom. Tennessee football will be looking ahead of this game to the Kentucky Wildcats. They can afford to.

Home/Vols Football