Don't Sleep on UT

Recently many have been looking at the SEC East as a two horse race between Florida and South Carolina. Recent big wins by USC coupled with ridiculous offensive numbers and a heisman front runner at Florida have put the spotlight squarely on Columbia and Gainesville. However, there is a third team that may have the best chance to represent the east in Atlanta: Tennessee.

Overlooked thanks to a 1-2 start that included blowout losses at Cal and to Florida, UT has been playing well lately and their schedule sets up nicely for a late season run at the SEC East title. There is no question that Tennessee is not one of the nations elite teams, that was proved when they were manhandled 59-20 by UF, however they miss the two best teams in the west, LSU and Auburn and play four of their next five at home before ending the season at Kentucky. UT is also the only contender who doesn't have to play LSU and except for UK, this is basically an automatic L. The absence of this loss means that the Vols can suffer a letdown this week at Alabama or at home to Vandy or Arkansas and still win the East as long as they take care of business at home against USC and @ Kentucky.

I know that sounds like a lot to ask Phillip Fulmer's bunch, but South Carolina comes to Knoxville, where the Vols are 3-0 including a 35-14 demolition of UGA that wasn't even that close. The Kentucky game also may seem tough, but remember before last weeks huge win vs. LSU, the only good team they had played was South Carolina and that resulted in a 15 point loss. On top of the easy schedule, Tennessee is also starting to play really good football. QB Eric Ainge is quietly putting together a great season, completing two-thirds of his passes while throwing for 12 TD's and only 3 interceptions so far. After an injury plagued 2006, RB Arian Foster has come back strong averaging 5.5 ypc while running for 7 touchdowns.

A quick look around to the other contenders shows that each of them would be lucky to end up with only two losses. Florida is already at two and still must travel to South Carolina, Kentucky and Georgia. South Carolina looks to be the favorite right now, but they still must go to UT and beat Florida, neither of which is a sure thing. Another overlooked team is Georgia, but unlike UT the schedule does them no favors, with upcoming games against Florida, Auburn and Kentucky, all of which they must win the make the title game. Finally Kentucky's schedule may be the hardest, they are in the midst of a three week stretch where they must play @ South Carolina, then LSU and Florida at home. They are 1-1 so far, but after facing UF this weekend, they will still have games @ UGA and at home vs. UT, not to mention a potential upset in Nashville, where Vanderbilt plays much better than on the road.

Despite a lack of attention, don't be surprised if the under-the-radar Volunteers are representing SEC East in Atlanta in December.