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While there is not a written contractual obligation for the Chick-fil-A Bowl to choose the SEC championship game loser if available, there is a verbal agreement to do so, according to SEC associate commissioner Charles Bloom.
That means the loser of Saturday's SEC championship game between Tennessee and LSU cannot fall below the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which is held Dec. 31 in Atlanta.
The Cotton Bowl (Dallas), Outback Bowl (Tampa, Fla.) and Capital One (Orlando, Fla.) are required to take the SEC championship game loser once in a four-year span. The Capital One did so last year with Arkansas.
If UT loses Saturday, the Vols are holding out hope that the Outback will select them instead of Auburn. That seems unlikely considering the Vols played there last season.
The Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1 is set to take Arkansas despite Nutt’s resignation, a source told the News Sentinel. Florida is expected to be selected by the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1.
That leaves the Chick-fil-A Bowl as the likely destination for UT if the Vols lose Saturday.
If UT beats LSU, they’ll play Jan. 1 in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
Trench Talk: Sophomore offensive guard Anthony Parker said he hasn’t seen much of a let down from LSU star defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who has struggled with knee and back injuries over the past month .
Parker said Dorsey still has the same explosiveness but not quite the same ability to run plays down that he had before.
Parker said a healthy Dorsey is one of the top two defensive tackles he’s seen, along with Florida’s Marcus Thomas. That doesn’t mean Dorsey’s the only LSU defender worth talking about.
“He gets a lot of attention but I’ve got to give it to all of them,” Parker said. “You can’t just put double teams on Glenn Dorsey, you’ve got to spread them out throughout the whole D-line because they’re all pretty good.”
UT junior tailback Arian Foster said he’s particularly impressed with defensive end Tyson Jackson.
“He’s a beast,” Foster said.
Climbing the Charts: If he gains 57 rushing yards against LSU on Saturday, Foster will become the seventh- most productive rusher in UT history, eclipsing Travis Stephens (1997-2001, 2,336 yards), Reggie Cobb (1987-89, 2,360) and Curt Watson (1969-71, 2,364).
Foster’s 2,308 rushing yards rank tenth in school history. Should his career average of 67.9 yards per game hold steady, Foster will make a serious run at Travis Henry’s school record of 3,078 rushing yards set 1997-2000.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” Foster said. “It feels good but I like winning better. Winning is fun.”
Scouting Report: Ryan Karl said the Vols will have to be a bit more wary of an old-fashioned offense if LSU sophomore quarterback Ryan Perrilloux plays Saturday in place of starting senior Matt Flynn.
“It’s a little bit more option-type stuff when Perrilloux is in the game,” Karl said. “We’ve got to be ready to play both.”
Flynn has been limited in practice this week by a shoulder injury.
On offense, receiver Lucas Taylor said he expects plenty of man-to-man, press coverage from the Tigers.
“They’re pretty good,” the junior said.
That could be bad. The Vols have struggled at times this season against press coverage.
Send Off: Orange Nation, a student pep organization, will hold a send off for the Vols from noon to 12:45 p.m. Friday at Johnny Majors Drive (between Stokely Athletics Center and the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center.
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Comments » 42
Colliervol writes:
I was gonna say. That makes it easy. Beat 'em and we don't have to mess with the Eat More Chikin Bowl.
invisiblekid writes:
Just win Saturday and take the Chicken Bowl out of the equation.
I believe that Dorsey is a little more worse for wear than Parker is admitting, at least I hope so. He just doesn't look quite the same since the knee injury. Factor in the recent back injury, which Miles said was the real problem at this point, and I think we are catching a break with Dorsey at less than 100%. Back spasms are not a fun thing to deal with simply walking around, much less trying to play football. Highsmith is probably their best defensive player at this point.
It will be interesting to see who they go with at QB but I think there are other concerns. I am more worried about them lining up and running right at us with Hester and Williams than some option with Perrilloux.
invisiblekid writes:
Just win Saturday and take the Chicken Bowl out of the equation.
I believe that Dorsey is a little more worse for wear than Parker is admitting, at least I hope so. He just doesn't look quite the same since the knee injury. Factor in the recent back injury, which Miles said was the real problem at this point, and I think we are catching a break with Dorsey at less than 100%. Back spasms are not a fun thing to deal with simply walking around, much less trying to play football. Highsmith is probably their best defensive player at this point.
It will be interesting to see who they go with at QB but I think there are other concerns. I am more worried about them lining up and running right at us with Hester and Williams than some option with Perrilloux.
invisiblekid writes:
Sorry for the double post fellas, computer locked up.
CrankE writes:
So let me get this straight, an unranked 8-4 (4-4 SEC) Arkansas team that sits in a three way tie for 3rd place in the SEC West and no better than 6th place in the SEC could go to the Cotton Bowl ahead of a top 20 Tennessee team who beat them head to head by 21 points three weeks ago.
Why don't they just get honest and change the name of this Chick Fil A rule to the, "We will always find a way to screw Tennessee" rule? I sure do get tired of these (insert favorite expletives here) stacking the deck against Tennessee.
Boy do we need a win Saturday.
GreerVol22 writes:
I agree CrankE, I can't think of a better way to piss off even more people than to actually make it to the Sugar and play an at large team in a completely meaningless fashion...except to UT fans...
mikeinknoxville writes:
I thought this column was going to be informative..Who didn't know this already??
Colliervol writes:
IVK, if I were Dorsey, I'd be more interested in protecting my NFL career at this point. He almost had it ruined by that cheap shot from the Auburn lineman. I would think the last thing he'd want to do is get seriously injured at this point and it has to be in the back of his mind. If it were for a national championship, I'd say he'd be going for broke but not now.
mikeinknoxville writes:
I disagree with that take Colliervol...while injury and NFL status has to be on his mind he isn't the type of player to not go all out..how effective he can be due to injury is certainly a question but you can bet he will leave it on the field
Colliervol writes:
Yeah, I basically agree with you Mike. Dorsey is a great player and has always given tremendous effort every time I've seen him. I'm just wishin' and hopin' it creeps into his mind. Unless he's had a miraculous recovery in a week, I don't know that he can go anyway.
CrankE writes:
Here's an up-yours scenario though for the Gators. UT wins, we get the Sugar Bowl. With Georgia as a BCS at large, LSU is screwed and drops to the Capitol One Bowl. Which means that the Gators get bumped down a notch thanks to Tennessee.
As if Tennessee needed another motivation to win.
Dancingmanone writes:
Can we pass on the Eat More Chikin Bowl? The last place we need to go is back to Atlanta. No bowl could be any worse for us?
Colliervol writes:
Interesting AJC article there geoff. Sounds like Miles just called out our offensive line. Hope that one makes the bulletin board.
asleep#212036 writes:
Florida is in the Capital One no matter what. I think Arkansas is in the Cotton unless we win, then LSU will get it. On all the Auburn blog sites, they are being told to get ready for Atlanta no matter what happens Saturday. Reason being, if we lose, the Chik-Fil-A folks aren't real skippy on having the same team back 4 weeks later. I can understand that completely. Plus somebody high up in Chik-Fil-A is an Auburn grad and they have not played in that bowl since the sponsorship started a few years back. The two years we did go to the Peach, we were not in the SEC CG. I wouldn't be totally surprised if the Cotton Bowl made a deal to take the CG loser either way. Or, if the Auburn folks are right, win we get Sugar, lose we go to Tampa. I'd rather just win and be done with it but after 2003, I do hope Hamilton is working a contingency plan to get us the best bowl possible. Go vols!!!
tennfan111 writes:
I'm a Tenn fan in La. Miles was talking on the radio down here how he has a game plan to interupt the offense. My guess is that they are going to pour on every blitz package they have.
agentorange writes:
so sad that meth heads and tgirls can use computers to post on here and discourage the sec east champs. it's also sad i had to abandon all logical arguments when this site went free b/c they carry no weight any more.
BigOrangeInCarolina writes:
Just doesn't seem right to get shafted from the Cotton this early. Arkansas? Why them? Hopefully, it won't matter and Bourbon Street will be glowing with Rocky Top orange in a few weeks. I just remember how we got screwed a few years ago and went into the Peach ranked #6, flat and got beaten by Clemson. Hopefully Hamilton and whoever else will nut up and make sure the Vols are taken care of either way.
asleep#212036 writes:
If I were Miles, I would blitz Ainge and Co. every chance I got and play press coverage on the receivers. If we hit those routes, we win. If not, 3 and out all night long, game over. Our pass offense is every bit as complicated as Arkansas' run offense and I don't think Miles and Pellini will make the mistake of playing straight up "D" again - they will trick it up somehow. That said, every other team has tried that as well and Ainge has still had an outstanding year. If not for Tebow and Woodson, he would be getting plenty more love, especially with an all new receiving corps making stats a little harder to come by. If the O-line keeps their heads, we will be fine. If they really are the best pass protecting line in all of college football, they will need to prove it Saturday or we are sunk. Go Vols!!!
vol_in_lsu_land writes:
To quote a great rock band of the 1980's and 90's called Def Leppard....
"Pour some Su-gah on me!!!!"
I'm hot, sticky sweet
From my head to my feet yeah!!!
kb7398#233189 writes:
Didn't Slive make it to where the title game loser was still in a Jan. 1 bowl? If so how the heck is the Chik-Fil-A Bowl even an option now...odds are it would be the Cotton if UT lost or the Outback maybe...figured LSU is a lock for the Cotton if Tennessee wins.
VOLinDAWGland writes:
Hey leave Touchdown alone, he's obviously suffering from severe psychological distress and he needs our sympathy not our ridicule.
Stumps writes:
Well I just don't know what to think now... Erik Smith from the USAToday has actually picked TN to win! He's been pretty hard on the Vols in the past, so I don't know which is better - that he picks against them and the win, or he picks for them... hmmmmm.
just win saturday, baby.
RockyVol writes:
The Tampa Tribune and Outback Bowl have indicated the Vols are coming to Tampa should they lose to LSU. Today's newspaper indicates TN will be the likely opponent for Wisconsin, who was announced as the Big Ten representative yesterday.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Taling about raining on a parade! Chik-Fillet outing. Man, if that don't scare these Vols into an all-out effort, nothing can! There's not enuf Bud in Ga to get me to be fooled into making that drive again. Phil must have 7000 free chicken dinner coupons. I don't believe that rumour that he was made to clean up the messes he made the last few visits to the Dome, though. He'd still be there. Feel better now, we COULD win this game, but my big toe tells me to get braced. Who knows, Go Vols!
lnbadger320 writes:
i hope we win saturday, if we lose, we'll not win that crappy bowl. it will be the 3rd time in 7 years going that hole.
BigOrangeVol29 writes:
This is discouraging to say the least. I remember that pre-Kentucky the "experts" said that when we lost to Kentucky(shows what a lot of them know) we would end up in the Music City or Liberty Bowls despite finishing 2nd in the East, and now they say we're going to get shafted still by being sent to the Clucker bowl despite winning the East if we don't beat the media's beloved LSU team. This is getting ridiculous, no matter what we seem to do the bowls seem to love other teams. I know the Chicken bowl offers more money than does the Cotton, but Arkansas?, we whipped them and we still get passed over. Win Saturday and rid us of this mess, please.
murrayvol writes:
Yes we beat Arkansas and we all think we deserve a Jan. 1 date but as Eastwood put it in Unforgiven: it ain't got nothin' to do with deservin'. Arkansas has McFadden and a history with the Cotton Bowl and they'll fill it up with Texas. The Outback doesn't want us back. And that leaves the Chickin Bowl. We need to win Saturday....in the worst way.
murrayvol writes:
jwraymond1: You need new writers.
VOLinDAWGland writes:
I'm want a Sugar rush baby!!!
ACG writes:
"Miles said that return specialist/running back Trindon Holliday will return to action Saturday after missing last week's game against Arkansas with an injury."
"Miles also said that the Tigers will get back the services of defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois for the Tennessee game. Jean-Francois has not seen any action this year after dealing with an off-the-field issue."
Jean-Francois had an unfortunate grades/cheating scandal that suspended him for 12 games, but he's a superstar. The LSU defense isnt *quite* as beaten up as some people are making them out to be.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Please no more Chick-fila games in Ga. dome, and the cotton bowl BRRRR at Dallas is even worse. Any other bowl game, take it.
VolFanInAtl writes:
Commentators are predicting that we will win!
OMG we're in trouble!
VolFanInAtl writes:
Who really cares where we go if we lose the SEC championship? It will basicly be an exibition game and a let down to the team that we will probably lose.
waterskier3#226480 writes:
two games in atlanta in dec 2007... i think we should extend fulmers contract for such a great performance :) oh he's getting that since he's done a great job.......
vol nation will you still want him if they get smoked in atlanta back to back.... how many fans will travel back to atlanta after they lose sat night???????? not sure why they would do that not a smart idea from a financial standpoint...
invisiblekid writes:
Hope you are right about Dorsey being preoccupied with the NFL Collier, he has every right to be since most of the coaching staff is preoccupied with other job opportunities if the truth be told.
TNGeoff, nope, I am not VolnFL. I have only been in the state one time in my life this past summer. St. Pete's was a nice place to visit, but I love the mountains too much to ever want to live there. I also feel confident enough in my opinions to not have a need for two ID's although I suspect some on here choose to do that.
invisiblekid writes:
To finish up TNGeoff, I feel more confident going into this conference game than any the Vols have played since MS ST. Straight up LSU is the better team but, internally, I think they are an absolute mess right now. Too many distractions along with the injuries to Flynn and Dorsey equals a win by the Vols IMO. My biggest concern lies in their backfield with Hester and Williams and if they decide to line up and pound it at us all evening.
invisiblekid writes:
Thanks for the ringing endorsement Geoff, I feel better knowing I'm not obnoxious LOL.
invisiblekid writes:
Point is well taken about our defensive line Geoff, I haven't forgotten about the AR game. I do believe LSU would be a little more straight ahead rushing attack as opposed to the "wildhog" minus Jones that the Vols faced. I am not as concerned about their backup QB Perrilloux, just an opinion, but I think he may be a little disgruntled as well.
invisiblekid writes:
The magic dust will couteract any backup QB voodoo Geoff LOL. Have a safe trip.
Colliervol writes:
I just wish VolCR would come up with some new material so Jraymond would have something new to copy. When you can't come up with something intelligent, just keep it simple I guess. It appears 4 letters is all they can muster up so it's just as well.
RobLCTN writes:
I flipped a coin to see who is going to win. LSU OR the TN VOLS.
Heads = vols
Tails = LSU
I got Heads! so the vols are going to win according to my lucky quarter =)
With a little bit of luck and hard work the Vols can win this game against LSU.
GO VOLS!! GO VOLS!! GO VOLS!!
gohawks1 writes:
tngeoff said: Just like hiresanders and intelligent do not belong in the same sentence.
Dude, not even "hire" and "sanders" belong in the same sentence together.
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