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Final Regular Season Polls Prior to Another Peach Bowl Rocky Flop
Vols #6 AP #7 USA/ESPN #8 BCS
F i n a l T h o u g h t s on 2 0 0 3
Someone who predicted a 7-5 regular season can't express much disappointment at 10-2. Certainly, if a pass here or there at Auburn had gone UT's way or if the fumble was instead a touchdown against Georgia, the Vols would be on their way to Atlanta for the SEC Championship and, perhaps, beyond. However, if the Vols had not converted on 4th and 19 at Bama, the season could have been worse than 7-5. The "Ifs" usually come out in a wash. So it went for the Vols and most other teams around the county. When you look at a season where your "Ifs" washed out but you still are 10-2 and a top ten team, hey-most programs can't say that. The Vols should always be in the top ten and competing for Championships. That was accomplished this year.
I hate to admit it, Phil, perhaps, did a pretty damn good job. The season and the program was on the brink of disaster. Didn't happen. There are few teams that get the BCS node. UT most likely will not, but they are as close as anyone. You can't go to the big dances every year, but being close is good enough when you can't.
How about the win over Miami snapping their 26 game home winning streak? It was huge. So was the whooping of the Gators in the Swamp. As the season winds down, it's clear that both Miami and Florida are no slouches. Miami gets a BCS bid and the Gators (who the Vols smashed) were barely beaten by BCS bound Florida State (who actually had to cheat). The Vols lost to no one they should have not. The Vols won one that no one gave them a chance of winning. So, it was a year a bit better than OK. A bit better than OK for UT, a resounding success for most other programs. We are greedy and deserve to be. The passion, the tradition, the pageantry and the thrill of UT Football is unsurpassed.
2003 G a m e R e c a p s
The First Dog is Down: Vols 24 Fresno State 6
Good show by the offensive line and defense! Just how good remains to be seen. Despite the inability to put more points on the board , the overall team performance gives me a bit more optimism than pre-season. Yet, the senior quarterback needs to play like a senior; if he delivers by getting the Vols into the end zone rather than the opposing teams, things may be looking up! Defenses win championships, though, and if this one is real, an SEC Title may be a reality even if the Sanders offensive offense keeps puttering! Needless to say, more will be revealed this Saturday.
Herd Herded: Vols 34 Marshall 24
Well, I did predict scary, didn't I? A win is a win and you take it home. After all, I think we have learned that the Vols seldom blow out a team before November! At times, I liked what I saw on offense; big plays by receivers are sweet to see again. How about that Houston boy! The defense was a bit of a disappointment, but, to be positive, take away 50 yards of penalties on one Marshal drive and one big play, and the score could have been 34-10!
Perhaps Marshal is really a pretty good team. Perhaps so is Fresno State (after their "upset" of Oregon State)! But if this is the best effort against a pretty good team, what happens when it is a really good team? We'll know in a couple of weeks.
Volunteers 24 Gators 10
R O C K Y T O P . . .
S W E E T S W A M P S O N G
Sweet. Sweet to be wrong. Sweet for CJR to be right. Sweet for Casey to have his own miracle pass. Though for 29 minutes and 56 seconds there could have been a bit to criticize, the miracle happened. The swamp water suddenly took on an Orange glow.
The second half performance is the best I can remember in some time. Granted, there were a few blips here and there, but the offense played the plays and the defense just took it to the Gators. The Vols looked like a team in control and put the Gators away. It's been a while.
How big was this win? Time will tell, but ESPN.....the game of the year may well be in Knoxville 10/11/03!
Certainly more to come.....but, for now, going to have a big glass of Swamp Water. It is sweet!
Vols 23 Gamecocks 20
Overtime stress event. Lou said there was some home cooking going on. Maybe, but it is our house, and roasted Gamecock was on the menu. It just turned out to be slow roasted! I was disappointed with both the offensive and especially the defensive lines, but they held on just enough to let the "Ice Man" pull it out.
Auburn will be another story and Vols need to toughen it up. Fulmer put it well, "We couldn't score 45 points against the air". The Vols may not nee 45 points against the Tigers, but low twenty something may not do the job. However, for now, I am just going to enjoy 4-0 and being the State of Florida wearing the big Orange!
Vols 21 Auburn 28
Fours yards rushing. The Ice Man throws it away. Enough said. Show on the Plain was just plain awful. Come Saturday, it will be a bit more clear how overrated this team is!
Vols 14 Georgia 41
Enough clarity, thank you. The Vols have been highly overrated. Phil, I thought we had a "re-evaluation" after last year. Don't apologize (didn't we hear that last year too?), we know how sorry you are. Oh well, no fool like a old fool, see you us Tuscaloosa. I am making the trip to taste the moment. Another fiasco, and this page will become X rated. No excuse for not being competitive; apologies don't get the job done.
Tuscaloosa Joy
Vols 51 Alabama 43
Five overtimes. A classic thriller. Worth the trip? You need ask? The question is where this games fits in my top five all time wins (need to let the dust settle a bit to be objective). Down and out, yet, somehow, this one was pulled from dark reaches (of which we will not specifically spell out). Perhaps, this was Casey's best clutch performance. Perhaps, Casey was the difference.
Vols 23 Duke 6
Not pretty; downright ugly, but another escape and a win.
Vols 10 Miami 6
D E F E N S E does it again! Bye bye 26 home win streak.
Vols 59 Mississippi State 21
Some offensive fireworks for a change...event if against the worst defense in the SEC. Good to see the Vols finally put somebody away. Steady as she goes; 8-2 ain't bad. Beware Vandy, they won an SECgame you know!
Vols 48 Vanderbilt 0
Taking care of business on both sides of the ball! No messin' around....putin' it away early, like it should be with Vandy!!!!!
Vols 20 Kentucky 7
Perhaps not a fitting regular season ending to Casey's career with the Vols, but it was a win in the cold. Once again, the defense came to the rescue. I suspected a 7-5 regular season but the Vols go 10-2 and are headed for warmer weather January 1.