One big reason why the Tennessee Vols won't have a letdown game against LSU
The Tennessee Vols are set to take on the LSU Tigers on Saturday in Baton Rouge at 11:00 AM CT/12:00 PM ET. This will be Tennessee's first action since an emotional win against the Florida Gators two weeks ago. It's not unusual in sports for teams to have a "letdown game" after an emotional win […]
The Tennessee Vols are set to take on the LSU Tigers on Saturday in Baton Rouge at 11:00 AM CT/12:00 PM ET.
This will be Tennessee's first action since an emotional win against the Florida Gators two weeks ago.
It's not unusual in sports for teams to have a "letdown game" after an emotional win against a rival.
But I don't expect that to be the case for the Vols this week against LSU.
And that's because the bye week came at the absolutely perfect time for Tennessee.
The off week not only gave the Vols some much-needed time to get healthy, but it also allowed Tennessee to decompress after that big win against Florida.
UT head coach Josh Heupel was asked on Monday about the bye week and how it allowed Tennessee's players to "mentally reset" after beating the Gators.
"I think one of the positives about our team is that they've been really consistent in their approach," said Heupel on Monday. "Huge win for our fan base (against Florida). I think our players reset last week and pushed forward in the things that we were asking them to do. This morning, we were full speed ahead on LSU. Really good energy. The bye week gives you a chance to physically reset and mentally reset a little bit."
"They had a couple of days off," added Heupel. "A bunch of them had the opportunity to go home, watch their high school football teams and be with their families. They came back late last night, and it's business as usual a little bit this morning. We have to continue to grow but I think our players are excited."
The LSU game is going to be a tough matchup for Tennessee. The Tigers have plenty of talent — especially at the wide receiver position — they're just still finding their way under new head coach Brian Kelly. Eventually, they'll put it all together and they'll be a dangerous team in the SEC West. The Vols are just hoping that doesn't happen this week.
Tennessee is favored for a reason — the Vols are the better team. But they'll have to play a complete game to get a win on the road against a ranked opponent for the second time this season.
Featured image via Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
