Apparently mindful of this, Mark Schlabach of espn.com set out to identify the best matchup of each weekend in a column entitled “Rivalries, rematches and revenge top 2007's best matchups.”
Tennessee shows up three times on Schlabach's list. The Vols' opener at California is his pick for college football's best matchup on Sept. 1. The Vols' visit to Alabama is his choice for the best matchup on Oct. 20. The Vols' Nov. 17 game with Vanderbilt Schlabach's “upset alert” for that weekend.
Here's what he has to say about the Vol-Cal showdown:
Sept. 1: Tennessee at California (8 p.m. ET, ABC)
It has to be more competitive than last season's matchup at Neyland Stadium, which the Volunteers won 35-18.
And here's what Schlabach has to say about the Vol-Bama shootout:
Oct. 20: Tennessee at Alabama
There's only one place to be on the third Saturday in October: Tuscaloosa, Ala. New Tide coach Nick Saban can go a long way toward becoming the state's governor by beating the hated Volunteers.
Schlabach's other marquee games involving SEC teams are as follows:
Sept. 8: Virginia Tech at LSU
Sept. 29: Alabama at Florida State
Nov. 3: LSU at Alabama
Nov. 24: Alabama at Auburn, Georgia at Georgia Tech and Clemson at South Carolina
Other than Vandy over UT, Schlabach's potential upsets involving SEC schools are as follows:
Sept. 15: Kentucky over Louisville
Sept. 22: South Carolina over LSU
Oct. 20: Kentucky over Florida
Nov. 24: Arkansas over LSU