The days of Tennessee playing a challenging, yet entertaining, non-conference schedule are pretty much over. As much as it pains me to say it, cupcakes should be the Vols’ main course when they step out of conference play. Welcome to the era of a 12-team College Football Playoff.
Tennessee is set to play Chattanooga, N.C. State, Kent State and UTEP this fall. N.C. State is considered a top 20 team, which is more than respectable. However, the rest of the Vols non-conference schedule are about as challenging as playing checkers with the family pet. Sure, there’s quality time for Tennessee fans since the Vols are playing, but there won’t be much drama involved. That’s exactly the way it should be.
Tennessee’s schedule has been designed for years to win a championship with one quality opponent to test a team’s mettle and three easy wins. Although I would have gone with four easy wins, Tennessee’s non-conference schedule this season is about as good as it gets when it comes to reaching championship goals. An easy win isn’t just an easy win; it’s a chance to heal.
I’ll miss the tilts that Tennessee had against Notre Dame, Miami and many other non-conference schools. However, this is a different time. Non-conference games were once played, well, for entertainment purposes mainly and to sell tickets, but they also could boost a bowl resume. Now, with a 12-team playoff, teams aren’t hoping to impress; they want to survive.
Southern California coach Lincoln Riley confirmed as much when he was asked about the Notre Dame rivalry, which is set to conclude this fall, at Big Ten Media Days. Riley cited Alabama under Nick Saban as the way to schedule fall Saturdays.
Alabama’s non-conference schedule last season consisted of three lower-level programs, Western Kentucky, Southern Florida and Mercer and a respectable opponent in Wisconsin. Mercer was notably in the last month of the season. That allowed the Crimson Tide to heal up before a playoff run. The Vols played UTEP last season in November so there seems to be a path that Heupel is following.
“Bama was ahead of the curve for years, I thought, on how they scheduled in the non-conference,” Riley said. “They would occasionally hit the marquee non-conference game, they’d play two other not-very-good teams, they’d play one late so they got essentially a little bit of a bye week there late in the season. They didn’t schedule for their fans – they scheduled to win championships.
“My hope is we can do the best thing, schedule to win championships that includes a rivalry game for all that comes with that and all that it means. But if you get in the positions, you’ve got to make a decision on what the priority is.”
It matters for Southern California because Notre Dame has become a traditional rival – that is probably on life support. The Vols don’t have that sort of non-conference rivalry.
Michigan seemed to benefit off a lineup of soft, non-conference foes last season and they won a national championship. The Wolverines won the national title last season and played East Carolina, UNLV, and Bowling Green in September. That might as well have been called Big Ten preseason.
In other words, the days of scheduling tough, non-conference opponents is probably over. For four games, as least four now, plan to enjoy more than just the game because there are going to be some clunkers. Perhaps that’s why Tennessee is building an entertainment district on top of Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena. If the Vols are leading 50-0 over a low-level opponent in the second quarter, there had better be something fun to do.
Is Morgan Wallen busy?
