MONDAY MUSINGS

BLOWOUT THIS: As enjoyable -and successful- as the season has been I totally understand the angst among a faction of the Vol faithful that what we’re seeing is not real. The Vols slow starts and miracle late high-wire finishes are sure to catch up with them over the course of a long season. Below you will see that I too can envision two entirely different finishes neither of which would be startling to me. A caller to the Smartway, Garza, Fifth Quarter however raised a scenario that I respectfully reject. He said that Texas A&M will take Tennessee to the woodshed this Saturday. I say based on what? If you want to tell me that the Vols streak will end at 11 at Kyle Field Saturday afternoon I would say that the guys that make a living at such things believe that is exactly what will happen tabbing the Aggies as a 6 ½ pt favorite. THAT’S 6 and a half not 16! The Vols may be flirting in the danger zone when it comes to winning or losing but a beat-down to me is a 2 TD loss. Anyone care to venture a guess when the last time Tennessee lost by 14 or more? Before you go running to the media guide let me help you. Almost 2 years ago when Alabama beat them 34-20. Since then the Vols largest margin of defeat was 8 points two weeks later versus Missouri.

YOU WANT SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL? One of Butch Jones favorite phrases -and excuses for late-game giveaway offensive series- is “situational football” Brother Fab-5 Freddy was dead-on Saturday when he said, “You want to play situational football? How about getting Jauan Jennings ass in the secondary with the game on the line and all that can beat you is a ball thrown over your head? He will make a play.” Truer words have never been said.

GEORGIA GAME THOUGHTS:

YOU HAVE TO FINISH: I love the size, strength and athleticism of modern-day athletes but my goodness not their “look at me” attitude or their miniscule attention span. The Georgia-Tennessee game was a prime example of how both can be devastating. Jalen Hurd – who has been a warrior throughout his career- got blindsided and lost the ball seconds after he should have been safely in the end zone because he was coasting and mildly taunting costing his team a TD, almost the game and an Eastern Division Championship. Malik Foreman inexplicably quit running with his man allowing a ball thrown over his head for a TD with the game on the line minutes after making what appeared to be a game-clinching interception. Georgia then trumped us by celebrating the apparent game winning TD to the point where they were penalized 15 yards leading to a short kick and solid return with five additional gift yards tacked-on for off-sides. All of the above put the Vols in position to pull off the most miraculous victory in program history. The point is seemingly tiny, momentary, lapses in judgement can turn into huge issues. Simply put, finish your job and save the mind-wandering and celebration for the locker room.

JAUAN IS THE ONE: Jauan Jennings, you sir, are a football player. You run like a sprinter, block like a fullback, and go up for receptions like Moses Malone rebounding. You’ve now also made catches the last two weeks which in this old-man’s opinion belong in the Top-10 plays of all-time in Tennessee’s storied history.

WEEK TO WEEK: Tennessee had one of the great halves I’ve seen last week versus Florida; Georgia looked totally lost versus Ole Miss in Oxford. But to quote Lou Holtz -and I promise I never will again- “You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose.” Regardless of what happened seven days before you had to know this would be a hard fought contest. The series history and recent-game point differentials should have been all the evidence we needed with Tennessee now leading 23-21-1 all-time and the last six games being decided by 8, 7, 3, 3, 7 and 3 points. Give me years of data over 60 minutes of play every time.

DOING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO: The stores may run out of beer, Lucky Strikes and Maalox before it’s all said and done but the name of the game is winning and the scary, ulcer-inducing Vols have won them all.

TIGHT WIRE: Never before have I seen a Tennessee team where the line between greatness and disaster is so thin. Regardless of the level of opponent Tennessee has elicited nail-biting anxiety followed by sheer joy from their passionate fan base. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this team ran the table or lost four of their last seven. They’re walking a tight wire without a net and thus far they’ve wobbled but not fallen. Let’s all hope the circus act continues without the show getting shut down due to tragedy.

WHAT WE LEARNED IN WEEK 5

THE SPOT WASN’T TOO BIG: I was convinced entering the weekend that the spotlight would be too bright for upstarts Washington and Louisville. I believe in Chris Petersen’s aptitude and Lamar Jackson’s brilliance but thought it was too early in the process for either to make enough difference to defeat two of the country’s most successful programs over the last several years. Washington was the first to debunk my line of thinking not only defeating the PAC-12 Champion (three of the last four seasons) Cardinals but beating their eyes shut in every phase. The 44-6 trouncing saw the Huskies outrush Stanford 214 to 29 and garner 8 sacks without blitzing on any of them. That’s a beat down of one of the more historically physical teams in America.

Though Louisville came up on the short end of an extremely entertaining 42-36 contest the Cardinals gained the full respect of all who viewed the effort. Louisville overcame an 18-pt Clemson lead in a hostile environment but fell victim to a 77-yard kickoff return and short-field TD with 2:57 remaining. Their Atlantic Division and ACC Championship dreams may have been squashed but a win over Houston on November 17th coupled with the right Clemson screw-up might put them right back in the National Playoff discussion with or without an Orlando appearance for the ACC Championship game.

I WAS PREMATURE: In this spot after Week 1 I opined that Texas and Charlie Strong grabbed a signature win when they outlasted Notre Dame 50-47. Since then the Irish have dropped games to underwhelming Michigan State and dreadful Duke both at home tarnishing the Longhorns’ victory. Texas on the other hand has found some answers on the offensive side of the ball ranking in the Top-20 nationally (#15) but their defense is non-existent. Charlie Strong’s strong suit has allowed 99 points and 1062 yds in the last two games (losses at Cal and Okla St) and have revived rumblings that his tenure in Austin may be a short one.

Longhorn Interim AD Mike Perrin when asked about Charlie Strong’s future said “We need to evaluate what happened here”. That may not suggest that Strong is in immediate danger but it certainly isn’t a ringing-endorsement. With Tom Herman likely available to the highest bidder at season’s end some rich program ADs may become trigger-happy in order to get in the hunt with LSU. Texas may enter the derby if things don’t turn around soon, as in this weekend’s Red River Rivalry.

ACC ATLANTIC TITLE WINNER: Clemson’s frantic last minute comeback victory over Louisville may have already removed all of the drama from the ACC Atlantic race especially considering FSU’s loss to North Carolina. The Tigers would have to lose at least 2 conference games for the Cardinals to get back in the discussion. With @BC, NC State, @FSU, Syracuse, Pitt and @ Wake Forest remaining I can’t find more than one.

FEELS LIKE THE 90s Credit to Jon Solomon of cbssportsline.com who astutely pointed out that it looks like the time machine has transported us back two decades in CFB. Washington (5-0), Miami (4-0), Nebraska (5-0), Michigan (5-0), Colorado (4-1) and Tennessee (5-0) have lost one game combined and appear to be finding their way back to relevance. The day of reckoning could be this Saturday for most of the squads from the 90’s lost-and-found with the Huskies traveling to face Oregon, the Buffs at USC and Vols visiting Texas A&M. Throw in the Canes hosting Florida State and you have a possible trap door ready to open on all but the Huskers with an open date and Wolverines with the next best thing, a trip to face Rutgers.

MONDAY MUSING:Never has a man been given a better birthday present -a 60 year-old man that is- than the Vols gave me on Saturday. Thanks to all for the kind wishes and thoughts. I'm indeed a lucky "individual".

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