Seven Days 'Til: Ranking the Top Seven Games on Tennessee's Schedule

Excitement is building in Knoxville. It's almost football time in Tennessee, and you can feel it in the air whether you're on campus or anywhere in Knox County.

There is exactly one week until the Vols' season officially begins, and there's a lot of hype for Tennessee Football in 2022.

The biggest reason for the hype (or heup)? Tennessee is entering year two under head coach Josh Heupel, who just went 7-5 in his first regular season on Rocky Top with a depleted roster and gauntlet of a schedule. And the best part about Heupel's first season is that an uber-talented starting quarterback emerged and is returning in 2022.

Heupel and Hooker are back together, again. Another offseason to better their crafts and make this offense even better. It can only go up from here, right?

I think so. And most people probably do. But again, Tennessee has a tough schedule filled with challenging SEC games and the reigning ACC champions in the Johnny Majors Classic.

The Vols have a couple of layups as well, but this year two under Heupel comes with plenty of exciting games that should feature a lot of offense.

Because if we learned one thing about this Josh Heupel offense in 2021, this offense never fails to entertain.

With that being said, now that we're seven days away from kickoff, let's look at the top seven most exciting games on Tennessee's 2022 schedule.

# 7: South Carolina

Like Tennessee, there's a lot to be excited for with the Gamecocks this season. Second-year head coach Shane Beamer is coming off a solid first year, and one of Columbia's most popular new residents in 2022 is former mocked No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy favorite Spencer Rattler.

Rattler's junior campaign with Oklahoma last year was a disaster, but he's looking to turn his college football career around with a new team. Will that happen? It remains to be seen.

If it does, the Vols' penultimate game of the season could be a doozie in Columbia.

#6: Alabama

There is a chance both Tennessee and Alabama enter the Week Seven game undefeated, which means the Vols would've defeated LSU, Florida and Pitt. A tall task, but a doable one at that.

If both squads are undefeated, this game is higher than six on this list. Both teams will likely be ranked in the Top 15, and the excitement of Tennessee fans in Neyland will be through the roof. Still, I don't expect this game to go down to the wire like most of the other games on this list will. This Nick Saban team may be one of the best in his coaching career, which is saying something.

The Tide return the best quarterback and defensive player, arguably the best overall player, in the country with Bryce Young and Will Anderson.

There's no need for any more convincing. This Alabama team is daunting, and it will be Tennessee's toughest test of the season. Maybe they can keep it a four-quarter game, but don't be surprised if the seats in Neyland Stadium are pretty bare with two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

#5: Georgia

Georgia is a slightly lesser version of Alabama. I don't expect the Vols to win, but there is a better chance the Big Orange could knock off the defending champs than the Tide.

Another reason this game is higher on this list is due to the national media buzz that the Vols have a real chance to knock off Georgia, most notably when Roman Harper picked UT to upset the Dawgs on SEC Network.

10-2 🍊

Roman Harper says get ready for a big season on Rocky Top!@Vol_Football | @Harp41 pic.twitter.com/AGIHHYHNc2
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) August 11, 2022

Tennessee should give Georgia more of a run for their money than they did in last year's 41-17 loss. However, Tennessee isn't quite there yet to make this game one of the most enticing contests on the Vols' schedule.

#4: LSU

The Vols will meet the 2019 National Champions in Baton Rouge in Week six for their fifth game of the season.

The Vols are currently on a five-game losing streak against the Tigers dating back to 2006, but this could very well be the year Tennessee snaps that skid.

LSU had a down year in 2021, going 6-7 and getting blown out by Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. The year saw question marks at starting quarterback and Ed Orgeron getting fired.

But the good news for the once undefeated Tigers is that Brian Kelly is now head coach, who comes to Baton Rouge after a very successful tenure at Notre Dame.

This game will be tough for Tennessee, no doubt about it. Not the toughest, but I'd put it as the third most challenging game of the season. I could see it going either way, and the game could serve as a turnaround for Tennessee's season if they lose to Florida and Pitt.

But this game does not crack the top three because it doesn't have the revenge factor that Pitt does, and LSU is not and has no reason to be an immediate rival of Tennessee.

Which moves us into the top three.

#3: Pitt

The Johnny Majors Classic returns in 2022 for its second installment.

The Vols will travel north to play in the newly named Acrisure Stadium this time. That's the bad news because Neyland always gives Tennessee a little leg up.

The good news is that Pitt will not have first-round pick Kenny Pickett starting at quarterback. Pickett gave the Vols fits last year and served as the first example of how poor Tennessee's defense was at stopping running quarterbacks.

UT kept the game competitive until the end in September of 2021 despite their (then) starting quarterback getting hurt in Joe Milton III.

Of course, that was an eye-opening experience for Heupel's Vols, as Hendon Hooker showed he was the right man for the starting job.

This makes UT fans all around the country wonder, had Hendon Hooker started that game, would Tennessee have won? What if a wide-open Cedric Tillman hadn't been overthrown? After all, the Vols did only lose by eight points.

The Vols are in a good position to get revenge on the Panthers in 2022, but Pitt is still a solid squad. Johnny Majors Classic part two will be a fun test for the Big Orange early in Heupel's second year.

#2: Kentucky

Arguably the University of Tennessee's ultimate rival, the Kentucky Wildcats will travel down I-75 South in late October to take on the Vols.

As many know, UT has had UK's number for the 21st century, losing only three times.

The Vols are coming off an exciting win against the Cats in 2021, in which Hendon Hooker and Will Levis went toe-to-toe, feasting on each other's defenses.

VFL Alontae Taylor's pick-six was arguably the difference, though, as the Vols edged Kentucky 45-42 in the thriller.

Both quarterbacks will get the chance to do so again, and I don't see how this game could be anything but a neck-and-neck shootout. Considering what not only Kentucky and Tennessee but all college football fans got to witness last year in Lexington, Vols vs. Cats in Week Nine is undoubtedly one of UT's most exciting games on this year's schedule.

But not number one.

#1: Florida

Was there ever a doubt this wouldn't be number one?

"This is finally the year."

That's the saying that's being floated among Tennessee fans and filling the air in Knoxville.

And rightfully so. Because if there is a year, it's this one.

Florida has a first-year head coach in Billy Napier and, on paper doesn't have the roster like the Gators typically have.

The second half of last season for the Gators was ugly; no getting around that. Losing to Missouri, South Carolina (by two touchdowns), a struggling LSU team, UCF and allowing Samford to score 52 points is not a good look.

There still are reasons to be excited about Florida's season, though, as Anthony Richardson is no slouch at quarterback. However, there's no denying this 2022 Gators team is just not on the typical Florida level.

The Vols have only beat the Gators three times this century, but this is Tennessee's best chance to reverse the fortune in quite some time, making it the most exciting game of the Vols' season.

We'll see what's in store for the 52nd installment of the rivalry on September 24 in Neyland Stadium.

Photo Credit: Calvin Mattheis of the Knoxville News Sentinel