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Tennessee football: Brutal October returns for Vols’ 2023 schedule

By Caleb Calhoun

Oct 16, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; SEC symbol painted on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Mississippi Rebels at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; SEC symbol painted on the field before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Mississippi Rebels at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Welcome to old-school post-Phillip Fulmer Tennessee football. The Vols would start off every year with a ton of excitement, only to be humbled by the Florida Gators. However, the season wouldn’t be over. That would happen two weeks later with a rough October slate that always began with the Georgia Bulldogs.

The Vols’ 2023 slate charts a similar path. In the 2023 football schedule released by the SEC Tuesday night, UT’s bye is the first Saturday in October. Based on what comes next, the Vols are going to need it. Although Georgia doesn’t kick off the slate this time, the Texas A&M Aggies do.

Following A&M, Tennessee football has to deal with back to back road games against the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Kentucky Wildcats. Yes, they only play three games in the month, but it’s conceivable that they lose all three games.

Alabama is obvious. Kentucky is rolling as a program under Mark Stoops, and it’s likely they only get better in the future, so facing them on the road after Alabama isn’t going to be easy. The wildcard in this one is Texas A&M and what happens with Jimbo Fisher.

However, A&M is deeper talent-wise than the Vols, and that’s likely not going to change next year regardless of what happens with the program going forward. The best thing you can say for UT in that game is that they face A&M at home and off a bye.

That could be enough for Josh Heupel and co. to deliver Tennessee football a win, but it still won’t be easy. Even if they get it, how can the Vols avoid a hangover and get up for Alabama when a crucial SEC East matchup against Kentucky follows that.

Of course, November is still rough with Georgia coming to town, but at least that’s the next to last game in the season. Rocky Top opens the year in Nashville against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, Sept. 2. They then face the Austin Peay Governors the next week.

Another change to this slate is SEC play, as they visit the Florida Gators for their third game, not their fourth, which is a return to tradition as well. Florida is back to being the Third Saturday in September, and Alabama is back to being the Third Saturday in October.

Rocky Top kicks off November with a home game against the UConn Huskies before visiting the Missouri Tigers. They then close out against Georgia and Vanderbilt at home. Outside of the switch with Georgia to late November, this is similar to how the schedule would often operate under Derek Dooley.

In both 2011 and 2012, the Vols gave their fans false hope with BCS wins en route to a 2-0 start before facing Florida. They would then lose to Florida before winning against one more Group off Five team to enter October 3-1. Then the season collapsed both times.

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Josh Heupel isn’t Dooley, and this isn’t 2011 or 2012. However, that October slate is a month that could once again derail Tennessee football, and unlike the Johnny Majors years, there’s not an easy November slate to make up for it. As a result, buckle up.

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