Another win for Tennessee against a not so great team. All that really matters from the previous sentence is that there was another win for Tennessee. Against a SEC team to boot.

Tyler Bray has been playing so well as of late that we can forgive him for having somewhat of a stinker last night. If you’re going to have a lousy game it’s best to have it when you’re playing a team like Vanderbilt. A team so terrible that even at your worst it would be hard to lose against them. Throwing two interceptions and completing just 16/27 passes and still winning a game is pretty impressive.

The Vols have won 3 in a row, 2 of those games being against SEC opponents. Now, it should be noted that 2 of those teams were also Memphis and Vanderbilt.

The season will (finally) come to an end next week. Let’s face it Vols fans, this season couldn’t end soon enough. It’s been painful to watch and without the game against Ole Miss it would have been one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory. A win next week against Kentucky would mean little for their season, but it would mean a lot to the moral of this fan base. Don’t even think about the chance at a Bowl game fans, just think about the satisfaction of seeing a stadium full of Kentucky Wildcats fans looking utterly disappointed.

The Vols finally beat an SEC opponent. It may have taken 10 weeks, but they did it. Not only did they win, but they dominated the entire game. I was among the majority of people who thought last weeks win against Memphis was just a fluke. It turns out this team can win even when they aren’t playing the worst team in the college football.

Tyler Bray is the most famous 18 year old in the state of Tennessee after yesterdays incredible performance against Ole Miss. Not only did he manage to throw 0 interceptions, but he also threw 3 touchdowns. He threw 323 yards (twice into the hands of Justin Hunter for TDs) and held his own against what has been a strong defense for Ole Miss. Even when Bray made a mistake and threw the ball into a sea of Rebels, the ball just happened to be tipped into the hands of Justin Hunter. It felt as though the football Gods were finally swinging things in the Vols favor.

Taureen Poole has been incredible all season. Even when the Vols were losing, Poole would still come out looking like a guy ready for the NFL. He went for 107 yards on only 12 carries. Poole was dominant with Simms and has been equally dominate with Bray.

The Vols defense hasn’t looked great for most of the season. In the past 3 weeks things have changed because the defense finally looks like they are all playing for the same team. The defense kept Jeremiah Masoli to only 80 yards and didn’t allow him any touchdowns. Masoli suffered a concussion last week and was replaced with backup QB Nathan Stanley. Brandon Bolden was the only light for Mississippi on Saturday. He scored the only two touchdowns for the team all day.

Tennessee will face Vanderbilt next week, another SEC opponent, but one that now seems even easier to beat than before. Fans shouldn’t be talking about bowl games until the Vols final game against Kentucky, but one thing is for sure, no matter if the Vols make it to a bowl or not doesn’t really matter. We have seen the future for this team and it truly looks bright.

They did it. Tennessee ended their 4 game losing streak with an explosive win against the Memphis Tigers. Yes, this win would be much sweeter if it were against any team besides the Memphis Tigers, but as Vols fan this season we take what we can get. I wouldn’t start calculating ways the Vols could still make it to a bowl game, but it’s comforting as a fan knowing this team knows how to win. Hopefully this feeling is one the Vols can get used to.

Memphis took an early 7-0 lead after a failed drive by the Vols. The Tigers didn’t hold the lead for long because Freshman QB Tyler Bray led the offense by throwing five touch downs in just the first half of the game. Tauren Poole also had a great game rushing for 101 yards on 16 carries and scoring 2 touchdowns. Bray can’t even legally celebrate his win with a beer, but he deserved one. The offensive line that failed for Matt Simms all season, seemed to click in front of Bray. This could have a lot to do with the Tigers abysmal defense, but either way Dooley has a problem most coaches dream of, two capable starting QBs.

During the third quarter, Dooley made the decision to substitute Simms for Bray.

Memphis now sits in 118th place out of 120 teams. To overly celebrate a win against this team would be the equivalent of any NFL team celebrating a win over a team from the CFL. In other words, it would be ridiculous. We take this win for what it is, just a win. The true test of what this means will be next Saturday against Mississippi.

Tennessee finally gets a break from playing teams in the SEC with a game against the 1-7 Memphis Tigers on Saturday. Not that the Vols are much better with a 2-6 record, but if you take into consideration the fact that the Tigers are in a weaker conference than one could assume that the Vols have their best chance of late to win a game. After a four game losing streak that included some disastrous 2nd half play and a quarterback swap, Tennessee has an advantage over Memphis who are just coming off a 5 game losing streak and horrendous loss to Houston. More horrendous than the Vols loss to LSU, Florida and USC combined, if you can imagine.

Everyone is going to be watching Saturday to see how Tyler Bray does in his debut as starting quarterback. The sophomore came in early in the second half of last weeks loss to South Carolina and put on up a performance that convinced coach Dooley he was a better choice against the Memphis Tigers. He is going up a weaker defense this week which could be a huge advantage for the young quarterback. Dooley has made a lot of poor choices this season, so here’s to hoping that things go Tennessee’s way for a change.

Memphis’s defense should be an easier one to navigate than the SEC opponents Tennessee has faced in the past few weeks. On average teams are scoring 42 touchdowns against the Tigers, with 25 of them being passing touchdowns. What this means is if Tennessee loses this week to Memphis they might as well pack up their pads and just surrender to the fact that this season is a failure.

Memphis is terrible. Vegas has the odds strongly in the Vols favor and almost every CFB site has given the Vols at least a 20 point advantage. The Vols have won 21/22 games vs. the Memphis Tigers. By midnight on Saturday this team will either make that number 22/23, or they will turn into big puke orange pumpkins and roll themselves back to Knoxville covered in copious amounts of shame.

I’m a Washington Nationals fan and I cheer for the Minnesota Twins. I’m a Washington Redskins fan, a Phoenix Suns fan and a Washington Capitals fan. I am used to watching teams I love lose. I know what it’s like to watch a team you dedicate months to take a horrifying and embarrassing fall from grace. I get it. I am used to it. I accept it. However, nothing has been more painful than watching the Tennessee Vols fail week after week this season. Nothing. I saw the Redskins embarrass themselves for two years in a row against the Lions on Sunday and not even that was as terrible as watching the Vols lose to USC. Bleh.

Saturdays game against South Carolina wasn’t terrible because Tennessee looked like garbage and didn’t even seem like they were trying. It’s the exact opposite. It was painful because they were trying, they really looked like they wanted to win, but they couldn’t. All season myself and other fans have been complaining about this team giving up in the second half or looking tired throughout the game. On Saturday they competed for the full 60 minutes and still couldn’t pull out a win. It’s not time to panic Vols fans, but for this season it is time to give up.

They showed a lot of possibility on Saturday. Tyler Bray was a solid replacement for Matt Simms. He was a bit shaky at first, but the fact that anyone is talking about a “quarterback controversy” today proves he did a stellar job. Denarius Moore and Gerald Jones may have had their best game all season. Tennessee’s offense was everything it was suppose to be. Any game that can incorporate a fake punt, great passing and rushing is a positive one. I’m ignoring the turnovers on purpose right now, because as always it was the small mistakes that truly cost Tennessee this game.

The “quarterback controversy” I alluded to earlier involved freshman Tyler Brady who showed everyone how dangerous he could be when he came in for Matt Simms. He went 9 for 15 for 159 yards and made two touchdowns. Simms who was pulled at the start of the second half went 10 for 13 for 153 yards and got one touchdown. He also had more turnovers than a junior QB should have in one game. Turns out Bray left enough of an impression, because he is know being listed at Tennessee’s starting QB.

Derek Dooley is making a statement, but it might be too little too late. Next week this team will face Memphis. At this point fans can take solace in the fact that, hey, it can’t get much worse.

Tennessee is still clinging on to the hope of a bowl invitation. A hope that becomes smaller and smaller with each passing week. Derek Dooley’s first year as a head coach has so far been a disappointing one, but I wouldn’t be quick to point the finger at him. This season has felt like a wash since week 1. Not only does the team not seem to fit together, they also don’t seem to care. I know athletes will go to their graves defending how badly they want to win games and that they put in %100 effort every single game. I just don’t believe them.

If this Vols team has been putting in their best efforts all season, then they stand no chance against the Gamecocks, who are currently #1 in the SEC. South Carolina has never played in a SEC championship game. USC will come out fighting hard on Saturday because they have something they are fighting for. That might be enough to defeat Tennessee. A team which hasn’t appeared to be fighting for anything since they played Oregon.

Is November going to be a season changing month for the Vols? There are those who will tell you, yes. They are optimistic. They are willing to compare this Vols team to teams of the past. They want to believe that an easier schedule and knowledge from past experiences is going to be enough to take this team to the end of the season on a positive note. I disagree.

Tauren Poole will once again have to be at his best this week. He hasn’t been playing as well on the road as he has at home. USC is coming off a 3 week road trip which ended last week with a win against Vanderbilt. USC’s quarterback is Stephen Garcia. He’s ranked 5th in the nation with a pass efficiency of 170.2. I won’t even tell you where Matt Simms lands.

If you’re into stats, then you might be pleased to know the Vols have won 7/8 games against USC in their history. Which for the pessimistic like me is a meaningless number, but if your optimistic and also believe in the magic of a four leaf clover, it could be all you need to have faith in this Vols team tomorrow.

And then, that happened.

I’m going to be honest, I never expected Tennessee to win this game. Judging from their performance for most of this season, it was going to take something even greater than a miracle for them to get out of this game with a ‘W’. I just didn’t think they’d lose this badly. It’s pretty embarrassing when at the end of a game your fans are chanting another SEC teams name. The Vols have become the Detroit Lions of the SEC, and even that is giving them too much credit.

Tennessee scored a touchdown within minutes of the 1st quarter. There was hope, there were cheers. Then everything slowly started to unravel. That first touchdown was the first and last Tennessee would score. After that it was pretty much the Julio Jones show and no one on the Vols defense could stop him. He went 221 yard on just 12 catches. This guy was so incredible to watch it almost made me forget that I was suppose to be disgusted by him. He was playing with a broken hand for goodness sakes. He’s making catches that most WR’s without screws in their wrists couldn’t even make.

Everyone I thought about Greg McElroy was wrong. He didn’t choke under the pressure, he excelled. He completed 21 of 32 passes and threw for 264 yards. He even ran for one touchdown on his own. It’s no secret Mark Ingram is one of the greatest running backs in college football, this point made even more clear by his two touchdowns and 88 rushing yards. Matt Simms and Tauren Poole both had good games, but they can’t win games on their own. Tauren Poole is a weapon, but when he’s basically on the field by himself he doesn’t stand a chance.

At this point in the session this team needs to focus on just getting out of this season with as little embarrassment as possible. Expecting a winning season is out of the question, but there’s still a chance to restore some dignity. Next week they face the Gamecocks, a team is undoubtably better than them. Not losing by over 30 points would be an improvement.

The Vols are coming off a bye week which should mean this team is well rested and ready for Alabama on Saturday. That’s just what it should mean, in reality all their bye week guarantees is that they did not lose last week, which for all intents and purposes is still a positive.

I don’t know about most Tennessee fans, but this is a game I have been dreading since the beginning of the season. It’s not because I don’t think the Vols stand a chance against the Tide, it’s because they are one team that’s really awful to lose to. Losing to the Florida, LSU and Georgia is awful, but not as awful as this. Alabama fans are loud, passionate and they are cheering for a great team. This isn’t a team like Georgia where their fans can cheer and brag all they want about a win when at the end of the day they still have nothing to be all too proud of, Alabama is arguably the best team in the SEC. Beating them would do little for Tennessee in the standings, but it would certainly do a lot of moral. Let’s be honest, it would do a lot for their fan base that is barely clinging on to this season by a burnt yellow thread.

Since this team has had over a week to rest for this game one would hope the guys will be able to play for the full 60 minutes. Matt Simms is a great quarterback. There is no part of me that feels any doubt about that, he just needs room to get the ball down the field. Room which his offensive line needs to do a better job creating for him, especially against Bama’s defense. Speaking of the Bama defense, I’m sure for the past week they’ve watched hours of game tape involving Tauren Poole. He is the Vols greatest weapon at this point. This game won’t be won on the run-game alone, but theres no way Tennessee will win without it.

Alabama hasn’t settled on a QB yet this season, but they have two fairly solid options. Greg McElroy and A.J McCarron have both been fighting for the QB1 position this season and as of now McElroy seems to be winning out, but barely. The defense needs to capitalize on McElroy’s weakness. The guy is having a hard time holding on to his job as is, if the Vols can take advantage of his nerves then he should begin to unravel like a cheap sweater.

Saturday’s game isn’t make or break for Tennessee. This season is already broke. The pressure is on Alabama tomorrow, just show up Tennessee. Just show up.

“We don’t volunteer for this crap we get paid!” That quote was found on a poster being displayed by a group of frat boys in flip flips and pink polo shirts outside the stadium before the start of Saturday’s flogging. After watching Tennessee play as if they had already lost for most of the game it seems like yes, maybe every other team in the SEC is actually worried about bringing home some kind of payday, whether it be the pride of a win, bragging rights, or the hope of a NFL contract. The Vols on the other hand are just simply here, maybe they are just volunteering their time as place holders for another SEC team until the real football team can arrive. Yeah…maybe that’s it.

On Saturday two mediocre teams met up to play a game that in terms of standings was meaningless, but in terms of pride meant everything. Two teams stormed the field in Athens and only one team actually stayed for the game. The other was already heading back to Nashville before the 1st half was even over.

This will hopefully go down as the worst game the Vols play all season. If they can find a way to top (bottom?) their performance against Georgia than congrats to Derek Dooley for coaching a team that for the first time in history might make an entire stadium puke in disgust.

Every week there is something that on any other day would be deemed insignificant, but because it’s this team, this coach and this system it becomes the one thing that sends the Vols spiraling. A botched punt is pretty terrible, but it shouldn’t be enough to end a game before it’s even begun. Against any other team in the SEC there is no way the Vols would have even had the chance to hang on as much as they did. The Bulldogs are not a better team than Tennessee. I don’t care what the score says. They are however smarter, more mature and more stable, which is turns out is all you need to win games. Skill isn’t as necessary.

Matt Simms is a human punching bag. Does Tennessee have an offensive line? He’s averaging about 5 sacks a game and when he’s not being sacked he’s facing more pressure than Jack Bauer on any given episode of 24. The fact that he was able to get off any passes is a miracle. 9/13 for 179 yards is about as perfect as you can ask for when you have absolutely no protection.

So another week down. At this point all these games feel like they are just blurring together. I know there are some fans out their optimistic for November, I think that’s sweet. That’s all, it’s just really really sweet.

When Georgia was good and actually posed a threat to other teams in the SEC, they made teams nervous. Now that the Bulldawwwwgs are borderline terrible and unranked they are much less intimidating. The only problem is that as of late the Vols haven’t been too great either and they remain unranked as well. What’s going to happen on Saturday is basically two mediocre teams with intense rivalries battling on the field for pride more than anything else. Aren’t those games always the most exciting?

I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that their are no clear favorites in this match-up. Neither team has won an SEC game all season, they both have losing records and they both have passionate fan bases who will likely be drowning themselves in copious amounts of beer by the second half. This game is going to be emotional, it’s going to be dramatic, and if the football Gods are watching than it’s going to be exciting.

The second half is going to be interesting for both teams. Throughout the season the Dawgs and the Vols have both suffered with maintaining energy and motivation through the second half. Both teams have held on to leads until the end of the 4th quarter before giving it up in the final moments of the game. It’s not very comforting when there are former players talking about the LSU-Tennessee game saying things like “There is no way they can recover”. Great.

This will be Tennessee’s second road game in a row. Bulldawwwwgs fan are notoriously obnoxious, loud and aggressive. I don’t think the teams terrible start will keep fans quite on Saturday, especially when they are up against one of the only SEC teams they think they stand a chance against. Tennessee is going to have put the nightmare of last week behind them or there is no way they can even compete.

We have seen what happens when you mess with this team’s head and it’s not pretty.