SEC Championship Game: Why Tennessee Will Beat LSU

Contributor Written on November 27, 2007

Okay, I said it:

Tennessee will beat LSU for the SEC championship.

Before you rip me apart for speaking such nonsense, let me get my one point out:

Tennessee will win because no one expects them to.

There have been moments this season at which Tennessee fans thought they were witnessing a repeat of 2005—when the Vols went 5-6 and lost to Vanderbilt.

But Phil Fulmer and Co. have managed to pull through when they've needed to.

In fairness, Tennessee's loss to Alabama was inexcusable. This is the same Alabama team that embarrassed the SEC by losing to Louisiana-Monroe.

However, LSU also struggled with the Tide—and everyone knows that no SEC game is a given. Plus, Alabama always gets amped up for Tennessee—the matchup is never an easy one.

To their credit, the Vols posted quality victories against Arkansas and Georgia after no one gave them a chance to win. And while Tennessee hasn't played well on the road this season, the SEC title game is at a neutral site—so anything can happen.

There seems to be a prevailing sentiment that Tennessee doesn't deserve to play in Atlanta. But the Vols would have the same record as Georgia if they'd played a weaker nonconference schedule—instead of facing a tough Cal team in Berkley.

In any event, the outcome of the championship game will be decided by which Tennessee team shows up. If this season has taught us anything, it's that the Vols should win.

After all, no one's giving them a chance.

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written on November 27, 2007 Sports