'Thinking Fan Nation:

Random musings as we click off another week in this crazy year of 2020.

BIG NOT TEN LOWERS THE BOOM. For a conference that prides itself on its academic prowess, the Big 10 isn't good at math. It has 14 member schools. (In fairness, the Big 12 has 10 schools.) The Big 14 announced yesterday that its fall sports will play only a conference schedule, including football. The league did not say it was going to 10 games instead of 12 but that was the thinking among pundits last night. If so, each league school will need to add one league opponent. Those that don't have Rutgers already scheduled are probably camped out this morning in East Brunswick, N.J.



WHEN THEY SAY IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY ... it's always about the money. The Big 14 had the gall to say eliminating non-conference opponents was, in part, about travel due to Covid-19 concerns. Nebraska wasn't kicked out of the league, but several closer MAC opponents were kicked off schedules. This is about money and keeping as much as you can, and this format also can be expected to be used if the whole season is delayed until 2021.



HOW DOES THE SEC REACT? Probably falls in line with a 10-game schedule and maybe goes to a conference-only schedule. All indications are the Big 14 acted on its own. The Power 5 conferences are split between the Big 14/Pac 12 coalition and the Big 12/really 10, ACC and the evil empire of the SEC. The rest of the Power 5 probably has to follow the Big 14 and adopt a 10-game schedule, if that's what gets decided. Why 10 games?


BECAUSE THE SPRING OPTION IS STILL ON THE TABLE. At least that's part of this decision. Ten games works better than 12 if the decision is to try to dodge the Covid-19 landmines city by city in the fall and perhaps get the season in, or a spring season in 2021 would look better on wear and tear if it is less than the standard 12.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US? Let's say the SEC decides to go to a 10-game schedule, whenever it is played, and let's also say they go to a conference-only schedule. Let's also say the way they decide to add games is to accelerate the rotating opposite division opponents into the next season. For Tennessee, that would mean losing Charlotte, at Oklahoma, Furman and Troy and adding Ole Miss at home and LSU at Baton Rouge. Lots to unpack there and Tony will do it today and next week on the show.



TY'S NOT HIGH ON COMMITTING. Wonderboy 2022 QB Ty Simpson indicated this week he's not going to commit this summer before his junior season allegedly happens. The Martin, TN product is thought to be a Tennessee lean but he apparently is going to make some visits this fall, if allowed. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Clemson and Ole Miss are likely candidates. This puts Jeremy Pruitt and staff in a bit of a bind. Simpson is absolutely their #1 pick but they must keep recruiting other top prospects as well. But, those other prospects all think Simpson will ultimately land with Tennessee, so the best of the bunch probably won't take the Vols seriously.



FULMER PLAYING CATCHUP ON DIVERSITY. After an indirect scolding from UT trustee Kara Lawson, who Fulmer snubbed for the Lady Vol basketball coaching job, the UT athletics director announced promotions of two African American employees to his senior management team this week. The headliner is Ashley Smith, sister of Trey, who replaces Mikki Allen (now AD at Tennessee State). Ashley has more going for her than being the sister of our best linemen in many a moon. Pruitt went to bat for her to become the new VFL director and she has a bright future as a collegiate administrator.



Orange Throat
IGDY

'With news breaking Thursday that the Lil’ 10 and other power five conferences are expected to play a conference-only football schedule this fall, the SEC will most likely do this as well. They’ll be the last holdout because “it just means more” down here.


That means no Charlotte, Oklahoma, Furman or Troy this year for the Vols. If only this had happened last season, Tennessee would’ve avoided early-season embarrassments to Georgia State and BYU.


The thought now is the SEC will (attempt to) play 10 league games, with each school adding their next two rotating opponents (originally for the 2021 and ’22 seasons) to this year’s new schedule.


For Tennessee, that means Ole Miss at home and at LSU.


Of course Lane Kiffin’s return to Knoxville as a head coach will be in front of a nearly empty Neyland Stadium, but the Vols trip to the real Death Valley will be in an empty Tiger Stadium, which I think is the best home atmosphere in college football, especially at night.


From a football prospective, the earlier in the season the Vols play Ole Miss and LSU the better. The Rebel Blackbear Landsharks have a first-year coach who didn’t get to go through spring practice and the Bayou Bengals are replacing nearly their entire starting-22 from a national championship team.


I’d also prefer Tennessee’s first game not be against Florida, too. No need to ruin our QB’s confidence in Game One.


Tony’s fellow paisan Vince Ferrara did a great job on Twitter listing each SEC teams’ new potential 2020 schedule:


Click This Link To See Who Plays Whom:

The Gators get the toughest draw, with Alabama at home and a road game at Texas A&M. That would make winning an SEC title much tougher in what was expected to be a peak year under Dan Mullen.


Before the schedule changes, I was leaning toward predicting a Florida-Texas A&M SEC title game, as the Aggies were likely to start the season 10-0 or 9-1.


Georgia (fittingly) lucks into an easy schedule with Arkansas at home and at Mississippi State. Like Ole Miss, both teams have first-year coaches without any spring practice.


Missouri draws Auburn and A&M, making Eli Dimwit’s first year in Columbia even harder.


In addition to at Florida, Alabama gets vAndy at home. Depending on when the Florida game is played, I’d be tempted to pick the Gators.


Auburn adds Mizzou at home and a trip to South Carolina. Two likely wins, which should be the case as the War Eagle Tiger Plainsmen always thrive in chaos and this season will be the ultimate chaos.


LSU would travel to Lexington in addition to their game vs Tennessee.



Obviously this conference-only schedule across the country will deprive us of some great match-ups.

The ones I was most looking forward to were Ohio State at Oregon, USC vs Bama, Texas at LSU, Auburn vs UNC, Penn State at Virginia Tech. And that doesn’t even count the yearly in-state rivalries like Florida-Florida State, Georgia-Georgia Tech and Iowa-Iowa State. Notre Dame (and BYU) will have to adjust their schedules significantly, although the Fightin’ Irish will likely pretend to be an ACC football school for years since the conference already has an open marriage with Notre Dame in other sports.


Lost in this news about the power five teams, what are group of five and lower division programs going to do. Very few non-power five teams will be able to afford to field teams this year without buy game money.


Final thought: since Tennessee has ZERO announced positive ‘rona cases on the team, can the Vols claim another quarantine championship and raise another banner right next to Coach Duggs’ title one?

Thanks for reading,
Matt Dixon (@MattDixon3)'