Tennessee Volunteers Football 2011 Schedule: Game-by-Game Breakdown
The Tennessee Volunteers kick off the 2011 season in Knoxville on September 3 when Montana pays a visit to Neyland Stadium.
Derek Dooley continues the rebuilding effort in his second year at Tennessee. He looks to improve on a 6-7 record in 2010 that culminated in a dramatic loss to North Carolina in the Music City Bowl.
The Vols will host eight home games in Knoxville in 2011, but will have to grind out tough road games at Gainesville, Tuscaloosa, Fayettville and Lexington.
Here's a look at the Vols' complete 12-game 2011 schedule.
Montana Grizzlies (Big Sky)
1 of 13
It's "Football Time in Tennessee!"
The 2011 season officially gets under way on September 3 when Montana arrives for a date with the Volunteers in Neyland Stadium. Vols should not overlook a Montana team that would love nothing more than to have their Appy State or JMU moment to kick-start their 2011 season.
When: September 3, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 7-4, 5-3 Big Sky
Head Coach: Robin Pflugrad, 7-4, is in his second season at U of M.
Fast Facts: The season-opener between the Vols and Grizzlies will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Montana, an FCS member, has been a perennial power in their division for many years. The Grizzlies set an FCS record by making the playoffs for 17 consecutive seasons between 1993-2009 and captured the national championship in 1995 and in 2001.
They competed in the National Championship Game in seven out of the past 16 seasons.
Cincinnati Bearcats (Big East)
2 of 13
The Bearcats from the Queen City head south to take on the Vols September 10 in Knoxville.
When: September 10, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 4-8, 2-5 Big East
Head Coach: Butch Jones, 4-8, is in his second season at Cincinnati.
Fast Facts: The Vols are 4-1 all-time against the Bearcats, with the last meeting coming in 1992, a game in which Tennessee won 40-0.
Florida Gators (SEC-East)
3 of 13
The heated rivalry is renewed in Gainesville on September 17 at "The Swamp." As someone much more famous than I once said, "It don't get much bigger than this."
When: September 17, 2011
Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville
2010 Record: 8-5, 4-4 SEC
Head Coach: Will Muschamp, 0-0, is in his first season at Florida.
Fast Facts: Since the inception of divisional play in 1992, neither team has lost this game and gone on to win the SEC Championship, with the lone exception of the 1997 Tennessee team led by legendary quarterback, Peyton Manning.
The Vols have now lost six straight to the Gators who lead the all-time series 21-19.
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Buffalo Bulls (MAC)
4 of 13
It's not the Bills, but the Bulls who take the trail down south to take on Tennessee in Knoxville.
When: October 1, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 2-10, 1-7 MAC
Head Coach: Jeff Quinn, 2-10, is in his second season with the Bulls.
Fast Facts: This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs and is the replacement game for the previously scheduled North Carolina game that UT A.D. Mike Hamilton bought out of, by paying the Tar Heels $750,000.
The Vols ended up playing the Tar Heels in the Music City Bowl and lost in stunning fashion.
Georgia Bulldogs (SEC-East)
5 of 13
The series returns to Knoxville in 2011 between these two SEC Eastern division rivals.
When: October 8, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 6-7, 3-5 SEC
Head Coach: Mark Richt, 96-34, is in his 11th season at Georgia.
Fast Facts: This series dates back all the way to 1902, with Tennessee leading all-time with 21 wins, 17 losses and two ties. Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley is the son of the former legendary head coach of Georgia, Vince Dooley.
LSU Tigers (SEC-West)
6 of 13
The "Timegate" series starts fresh with a new clock in 2011 as the contest will be played on the banks of the Tennessee River in Knoxville.
When: October 15, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 11-2, 6-2 SEC
Head Coach: Les Miles, 62-17, is in his seventh season at LSU.
Fast Facts: This will be the 32nd meeting between these two tradition-rich programs, with Tennessee holding the all-time advantage with 20 wins, eight losses and three ties. LSU won last year's thriller, 16-14, in Baton Rouge.
Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC-West)
7 of 13
The traditional rivalry heats back up in Tuscaloosa in 2011.
When: October 22, 2011
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa
2010 Record: 10-3, 5-3 SEC
Head Coach: Nick Saban, 43-11, is in his fifth season at Alabama.
Fast Facts: This will mark the 94th time these two traditional SEC powerhouses have met on the gridiron, with Alabama leading the all-time series with 47 wins, 38 losses and seven ties. The Tide rolled over the Vols in 2010, winning by a margin of 41-10.
South Carolina Gamecocks (SEC-East)
8 of 13
The Ole Ball Coach returns to his home state to take on the Volunteers.
When: October 29, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 9-5, 5-3 SEC
Head Coach: Steve Spurrier, 44-33, is in his seventh season at South Carolina.
Fast Facts: This will be the 30th meeting between Tennessee and South Carolina, with the Vols dominating the all-time series with 22 wins, five losses and two ties.
MTSU Blue Raiders (Sun Belt)
9 of 13
The Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders make their way east to Knoxville to take on the Big Orange and kick off November.
When: November 5, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 6-7, 5-3 Sun Belt
Head Coach: Rick Stockstill, 33-30, is in his sixth season at MTSU.
Fast Facts: The Vols and Blue Raiders have only met once before, with the Big Orange taking the first contest in Knoxville, 26-3.
Arkansas Razorbacks (SEC-West)
10 of 13
The Vols take their show on the road to Fayettville, Arkansas for a battle with the Razorbacks.
When: November 12, 2011
Where: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayettville
2010 Record: 10-3, 6-2 SEC
Head Coach: Bobby Petrino, 23-15, is in his fourth season at Arkansas.
Fast Facts: Tennessee leads the all-time series with 13 wins against only three defeats to the hands of the Razorbacks in a series that dates all the way back to 1907. The Vols won the last meeting in 2007, 34-13.
Vanderbilt Commodores (SEC-East)
11 of 13
The Commodores head east to take on their in-state big brother in the annual rivalry for the battle of Tennessee in the SEC.
When: October 19, 2011
Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
2010 Record: 2-10, 1-7 SEC
Head Coach: James Franklin, 0-0, is in his first season at Vanderbilt.
Fast Facts: The Vols dominate this series like no other—well other than Kentucky, of course—piling up 71 wins against 27 losses and five ties in the history of the in-state rivalry.
Kentucky Wildcats (SEC-East)
12 of 13
The Vols close out the regular season with a trip to the Bluegrass State for the annual contest with the Kentucky Wildcats.
When: November 26, 2011
Where: Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington
2010 Record: 6-7, 2-6 SEC
Head Coach: Joker Phillips, 6-7, is in his second season at Kentucky.
Fast Facts: Let's see, 73 wins for the Vols against only 23 losses and nine ties against the Wildcats. I'd say that's pretty much dominating! Oh yeah, Tennessee has not lost to the Wildcats since 1984.
SEC Championship Game
13 of 13
The SEC Championship will once again be determined at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA.
When: December 3, 2011
Where: Georgia Dome in Atlanta
Fast Facts: The Vols last played in the SEC Championship Game in 2007 when they lost, 21-14, to LSU. Tennessee last won the SEC Championship Game in 1998 in their National Championship, 13-0 perfect season.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
