3. The weak SEC East
The weakness of the SEC East is a blessing and a curse for Tennessee. Let me explain.
Yes, the fact that South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky and Vanderbilt are all relatively down works in UT’s favor in terms of piling up wins. But Georgia and Florida, the other two presumptive favorites in the East, also play all these teams. That means the win total needed to actually win the SEC East very well could be higher than it has been in recent years. There are plenty of scenarios where a 10-2 season wouldn’t get the job done for UT. Essentially, UT better beat Georgia and Florida because the Vols can’t rely on a lot of help from the rest of the league if they don’t.
Winning the East isn’t the only way to define the season, but if the Vols don’t, plenty of fans will be disappointed, regardless of what else happens.
