Vols-Bama Pregame

There is nothing like a night game at Neyland Stadium. The vibe just feels different. The crowd energizes this place. I snapped off this picture, under the lights, as anxious Tennessee fans file in, and the teams prepare for one of college football's best rivalry games.

 Alabama is ranked #2, and despite their second-half lapses, they're still a good team. Few people with any objectivity expect the Vols to win.

Here's what worries me. Alabama is as good, if not better than last season. The Vols clearly aren't. And Bama won last year 41-17. That doesn't bode well from my seat high over the playing field.

With his back to the wall, Phillip Fulmer always seems to win a big one. This game qualifies. At this point, before the game, a win would seem like a miracle. But I've got a more positive sense than I did in games against Florida, Georgia, and Auburn. 

Tonight is a clear-cut turning point in Tennessee's season. A win shows this team has underachieved all season and is ready for a positive finish. Nothing else is acceptable. If Kentucky and Ole Miss can play these guys close (in Tuscaloosa) the Vols should too.  A close loss won't cut it. A blow-out would be devestating.

A win, it appears, is the only correct answer.