Why Tennessee football should give thanks for its in-state rival | Adams
Tennessee fans have plenty for which to be thankful this Thanksgiving.
Their men's basketball team was ranked ninth and 10th in the two preseason top-25 polls. Their women’s team was ranked 11th and 12th.
But mostly, Tennessee fans can be thankful for having Vanderbilt as an in-state rival in football. The rivalry will resume Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS) at Neyland Stadium. And guess what? The Vols are favored to extend their latest winning streak in the series.
Too often, UT fans take this fortunate rivalry for granted. Tennessee’s domination has much to do with that. But what would you rather have: domination or trouble?
Former Vanderbilt coach James Franklin (2011-13) brought the trouble. He won two of three games against the Vols. In 2012, he sent coach Dooley packing with a 41-18 victory. A year later, he welcomed Butch Jones to the rivalry with another Vanderbilt victory.
Franklin also took Vanderbilt to three consecutive bowls. Put that on your resume, and people notice. Penn State hired him after the 2013 season, and he’s been there ever since, to which Tennessee could say: “Good riddance.”
However, the trouble for Tennessee didn’t leave with him. Derek Mason, his successor, beat the Vols three consecutive times (2016-18).
Obviously, Franklin and Mason had no respect for the rivalry, which is supposed to be a Tennessee landslide.
The landslide was in full force from 1983 through 2011. The Vols won 28 of 29 games, a run of success interrupted only once, in 2005, when Jay Cutler shockingly raised the Commodores quarterbacking to an NFL level.
The series is back on track now. Tennessee has won the past four games, and none of the games were close. Average margin of victory: 30.8 points.
If you want to fully appreciate this rivalry from a Tennessee perspective, you need to notice the intense competition going on elsewhere. Some in-state rivalries are so significant they are designated as regular-season bowl games. Alabama vs. Auburn is the Iron Bowl. Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State is the Egg Bowl.
Other SEC in-state rivalries extend outside the conference. Kentucky plays Louisville, Florida plays Florida State, South Carolina plays Clemson, and Georgia plays Georgia Tech. Only Georgia among the SEC teams is regarded as a sure winner this Saturday. The Wildcats, Gators and Gamecocks are underdogs.
If you want more competitive in-state rivalries, check out the soon-to-be-defunct Pac-12. Rivalry weekend for the Pac-12 will begin with Friday’s Oregon-Oregon State matchup.
Although Oregon leads the series 67-49-10, Oregon State won last season’s game 38-34. But the Ducks went down swinging. An Oregon linebacker punched an Oregon State fan after the game.
Saturday’s Pac-12 in-state rivalries will consist of UCLA vs. Southern California, Arizona vs. Arizona State, and Washington vs. Washington State.
The Bruins and Trojans will play for the Victory Bell. Arizona and Arizona State will vie for the Territorial Cup. The Washington-Washington State matchup is called the Apple Cup.
There will be no cup on the line when Tennessee and Vanderbilt play. Nor is there a colorful nickname attached to the rivalry. It’s just Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt.
Tennessee fans should be OK with that.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Tennessee football should give thanks for its in-state rival
