October 22, 2004
Does Tennessee have a rival?
Colby has some good questions on whether Tennessee has an SEC rival or not.
Auburn is Alabama's biggest rival. Florida's biggest rival is Florida State. Georgia's biggest rival is Georgia Tech or maybe Florida. Kentucky considers Tennessee its biggest rival as does Vanderbilt, but Tennessee considers its cross-state intramural opponent a rival about the way Dell considers Commodore computers a lingering threat. While the rivalries between Tennessee and Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn are very heated and get lots of attention nationally and from each side's fans, Tennessee cannot claim to be the biggest rival of any of these schools, so the Tennessee game gets left out anytime there is a debate about the greatest rivalries in college football.
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Josh McClain says:
posted on October 22, 2004 01:50 PM — linkI would say that Florida is Tenn's biggest rival while FSU's biggest rival now would have to be Miami.
I only add that because my friends and family who attended UF hated Tennessee with a white hot passion where as Florida State was just plain disliked.
I'm sure Spurrier no longer being around has cooled it off a bit, but during his days("Remember you can't spell Citrus Bowl without UT") I would say they were most definitely each other's top rival. When I think of rivarly games in the 90's several UT/UF games spring to mind.
Also ask Bama fan how much they like Fulmer and I'm sure you'll get an earful.
I don't think it is a bad thing for schools to have more than one fierce rival, espeically in places like the SEC, where the whole conference can be reached in a day's drive from one another.
Pete Holiday says:
posted on October 22, 2004 02:59 PM — linkWhat? Someone wants to hear what I think about Fulmer?
Just kidding. I think Colby is absolutely right, though. Tennesse is listed on a lot of schools' list of rivals, but I can't think of any who, if they had to pick JUST ONE, would choose Tennessee (excepting, of course, Vandy/UK... but c'mon...).
Of course, these days I would almost say that Alabama fans dislike UT more than Auburn... mainly because UT has something to brag about, whereas Auburn... well... not so much. (Maybe they can change that a bit this year?)
Jeff says:
posted on October 22, 2004 04:06 PM — linkUT-Bama used to be the big one didn't it? It still could be quite nasty because of Fulmer and the recruiting stuff. UT-UGA had potential to turn into a rivalry for a bit and still might. I guess UK, Vandy and Florida are the 3 closest things to a rivalry they have left. Why not pick up Memphis as a new one?
Josh McClain says:
posted on October 22, 2004 05:03 PM — linkFunny, Pat Forde's column today deals directly with the Tenn/Alabama issue.
Funniest graph was this one
How did it get this way? How did we get to the point where a caller to a Birmingham radio station a few weeks ago said that, if it came down to Tennessee vs. the Taliban, he couldn't find a side to root for? How did we get to the point where Finebaum can assert, after listening to the venom percolate on the airwaves, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but there are kinder feelings toward Saddam Hussein right now than Phillip Fulmer"?
Ahh - Have to love SEC football.
Michael Hickerson says:
posted on October 22, 2004 08:06 PM — linkIt takes a lot to make a rivallry.
And it can be a pretty one-sided relationship.
I'd aruge that Tennessee, at this point, does not view Vandy or Kentucky as rivals. Simply put, they haven't beat us lately not do the odds look too good in their favor of winning or doing it consistently any time soon. As for Florida, in the 90s I think the UT fans considered it more of a rivallry than UF fans did. Spurrier was in our heads and beat us until 98 when we won it all and then 2001 when we turned the corner so to speak. It's still important, but I'm not sure it's a rivallry by the classic defintion. The thing with UGA is its been streaky.
I think it all comes down to UT/Bama. This is how many Vol fans define what is a good season--did we beat Bama? Now, I love beating Florida, I love beating UGA. But it's not as satisfying as beating Bama. And I don't want to beat a down Bama..I wanna play them at equal strength and win. And I think this one has become more intense of late with the circus that has taken place off the field and in the courtrooms.
Jonathan Otto says:
posted on October 22, 2004 08:58 PM — linkI would definitely say that the UT-UA game is perhaps one of the more heated rivalries in the SEC. I think UA-AU is, by far, one of the more known and noticeable rivalries in all of college football. Outside of AU-UA and MSU-UM (these two are literal violence in the stands, and sometimes on the field), I can't think of many more SEC rivalries that would rank higher and be considered more competitive than UA-UT.
...and given all of the off-season mess that has come out, well, I think this game will be a LOT more competitive than most expect.
JuannyBama says:
posted on October 22, 2004 10:14 PM — linkYeah, I would say that this is about as big of a rivalry that there is. We've been beating each other stupid for a hundred years or so, beginning with a riot on the field between the fans in the first game, and continuing up until today with all the legal hullabaloo and whatnot. I mean, really, a football game lasts 3 hours, a rivalry lasts all year, so it's kind of a boring question considering both sides are more or less fixated on this game, on each other's fans, coaches, etc., 24 7 365. What will be more exciting is when the Tide squeezes the rotten orange tomorrow. . .19-17.
Paul says:
posted on October 23, 2004 01:51 PM — linki been an bama fan since the day i was born and i would say the bama/tenn rivalry is one of the biggest in the SEC. i know auburn is bama's biggest rivalry but i consider tenn right up there with auburn. if bama doesn't beat tenn and auburn in there season then the season to me was a waste even if they win all there other games. todays game is gonna be one of the best games to watch. ROLL TIDE
colby says:
posted on October 23, 2004 05:28 PM — linkLiving in the heart of Bama/Auburn country, and having known several Gators fans over the years, I've come to see first hand that the Alabama-Auburn and Florida-Florida St rivalries just have more two-sided energy and 'hatred' that those of UT. I agree that beating Bama is the mark of a good season for the Vols, but it's not balanced like Michigan-Ohio St. Maybe someday when Vanderbilt rises to the top...
Interesting fact: Didn't UT bring General Neyland to revamp the program and specifically to beat Vanderbilt. Well done, General.
