Hoosier State of Mind
Fansided

Indiana Football: Early look at Gator Bowl opponent Tennessee

By Adam Childs

LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 26: Linebacker Reakwon Jones #7 of the Indiana Hoosiers leads the team in the fight song after the win against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 26: Linebacker Reakwon Jones #7 of the Indiana Hoosiers leads the team in the fight song after the win against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 30: Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers hugs Eric Gray #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers after the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 30: Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers hugs Eric Gray #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers after the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /

Regular Season

The Volunteers did not start off the season well as they were upset by both Georgia State and BYU at home. Tennessee looked like the worst team in the SEC at that point and the thought of a bowl game was crazy. Many people were wondering if Jeremy Pruitt would even make it through his second year in Knoxville.

It didn’t get much better after a win to Chattanooga. The Volunteers would lose their next two games to Florida and Georgia. Sitting at 1-4 the bowl dream looked even further away. A surprise win against Mississippi State helped but another loss to Alabama left the Vols at just 2-5 and they were staring at a game against South Carolina, who had just upset Georgia.

But then they upset South Carolina, beat UAB, and rival Kentucky. They kept it going by beating Missouri and Vanderbilt to close out the year on a five-game winning streak. Finishing a very improbable 7-5 on the year, the Vols also finished third place in the SEC East, just a game behind Florida.

It was an incredible turnaround for a team that looked lifeless early in the year. They are playing their best football of the season coming into the game against the Hoosiers.

Home/Indiana Football