Why Tennessee Vols fans are likely going to have another reason to be angry this week
Tennessee Vols fans have had plenty of reasons to be angry over the last week. For starters, there's the fact that Tennessee was ranked below Alabama in the final College Football Playoff rankings before bowl season. The Vols beat the Crimson Tide head to head and UT's two best wins were better than Bama's two […]
Tennessee Vols fans have had plenty of reasons to be angry over the last week.
For starters, there's the fact that Tennessee was ranked below Alabama in the final College Football Playoff rankings before bowl season. The Vols beat the Crimson Tide head to head and UT's two best wins were better than Bama's two best wins.
As a result of the Tide being ranked higher, they're heading to New Orleans to play Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. Tennessee will be playing in the Orange Bowl against Clemson.
The Orange Bowl is the better destination — it's a primetime game against an opponent that Tennessee hasn't played in nearly 20 years. UT, however, still deserved to be ranked above Alabama.
Another reason Vols fans have been angry this week is because Hendon Hooker wasn't a Heisman finalist.
Georgia's Stetson Bennett, however, was named as a finalist, despite Hooker having better numbers.
On Thursday, the winner of the Biletnikoff Award (given annually to the nation's best pass catcher) will be revealed.
Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt deserves the award.
Hyatt is fourth in the nation in receiving yards (No. 1 in the SEC) and he's No. 1 in the nation in receiving touchdowns (tied with Houston's Nathaniel Dell with 15).
Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr, however, has name recognition (son of Hall of Famer wide receiver Marvin Harrison). And it seems like he's trending toward winning the award.
Pro Football Focus, in fact, already made their prediction that Harrison will win the award.
Marvin Harrison Jr. showed glimpses of his Hall of Fame father this season. The sophomore was the highest-graded receiver (90.5) in college football this season. Harrison was simply unguardable one on one. His 807 receiving yards against single coverage led the nation.
Hyatt had the best game of any wide receiver this season (five receiving touchdowns against Alabama). That game and the fact that he leads the toughest conference in the nation in receiving should make him an automatic winner. But after watching Alabama get ranked above the Vols and Hooker not make it to New York for the Heisman ceremony, I'm betting Hyatt gets snubbed as well.
So get the pitchforks ready, there's a good chance Vols fans aren't done being mad this week.
Featured image via Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
