Tennessee released their 2018 football schedule on Tuesday, and it’s never too early to get in some analysis of the schedule.
The Vols’ schedule for the 2017 season has been viewed as one of the easier ones Tennessee has had in quite some time because of how the games are spread out. Tennessee played an FCS opponent before taking on Florida, plays a bad UMass squad before playing Georgia, has a bye week after that game and before taking on South Carolina, and plays Southern Miss after a stretch of South Carolina, Alabama, and Kentucky.
Tennessee’s 2018 schedule, however, has another tough stretch of games all in succession just like their 2016 schedule did.
For the second straight year, the Vols will open up their season playing a neutral site game against a Power Five opponent. Tennessee begins their 2018 season playing West Virginia in Charlotte, North Carolina. It marks the fourth year in a row the Vols will play a neutral site game.
After two more non-conference games against ETSU and UTEP, the Vols begin their rough stretch. Tennessee hosts Florida, visits Georgia, has their bye week, visits Auburn, hosts Alabama, then travels to South Carolina.
Granted, the Vols have a bye week between match-ups with Georgia and Auburn, a luxury they didn’t have during their four-game gauntlet in 2016. But those five SEC games in a six week span are still a tall order.
It’s far too early to tell how good any of those five teams will be next season. But right now that stretch doesn’t look too appealing.
The Vols round out the 2018 season hosting Charlotte, Kentucky, Missouri, and visits Vanderbilt to close their regular season.
Here’s Tennessee’s entire 2018 scheduled with dates for the games included:
Tennessee’s 2018 schedule.
Four games in five weeks to start the SEC schedule against Florida, Georgia, Auburn and Alabama. pic.twitter.com/1849VZbvNp
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) September 19, 2017
One Response
In 2018 the Vols will be loaded!! I do hope they have a coach that can capitalize on this whether it be a Jones that finally has seen the light or a new regime that understands that you run the ball from the 1/2 yd line.