With blowout on the Bayou, Tennessee proves its legitimacy as a SEC contender in 2022

The win on the road at Pittsburgh was notable. A home victory against archival Florida was a statement. But Saturday’s beatdown on the Bayou officially confirmed it. 

Tennessee is legit.

Wearing their smokey grey uniforms, the Vols torched LSU with a dominant, all-around performance in a 40-13 blowout. Tennessee fans took over Tigers Stadium, as Rocky Top blasted to start the fourth quarter with LSU fans hanging their heads hitting the exits. 

Quarterback Hendon Hooker continued his Heisman Trophy campaign with another 300+ total yard performance, while UT’s offensive line and downhill running game (tailback Jabari Small’s 127 rushing yard) spearheaded Josh Heupel’s all-gas attack against the SEC’s No. 4 rush defense.

Defensively, Tim Banks’ unit harassed a banged-up Tigers offensive line, sacking quarterback Jayden Daniels five times. Using all sorts of stunts and simulated pressures, Tennessee finished with nine tackles for loss, multiple hurries and an interception. 

The Vols also dominated special teams (a forced fumble, big punt return), were perfect in the red zone (6-for-6) and controlled the “middle-eight.”

Overall, it was a complete performance by Josh Heupel’s team, and for the first time since 2016, you can say Tennessee is good without a hint of sarcasm. Depending on what happens in the next month, the Vols just might be all-caps B-A-C-K! 

In less than two years, Heupel has done a remarkable job in short order in Knoxville, turning a moribund program facing looming NCAA sanctions into an offensive juggernaut that recruits are excited to come play for. 

Tennessee’s Rocky Top revival started last season, when Heupel overcame a roster ransacked the transfer portal — 11 former starters gone — by winning seven games in Year 1. 

When Hooker decided to return to school, the potential was there for Tennessee to have a promising 2022 season. 

It could be a lot more than that now. 

How about special?

By infusing his team with confidence and optimism, the Vols play a fun, wide-open brand of football under Heupel. Most importantly, they expect to win each week.

The offense is littered with playmakers — star wideout Cedric Tillman missed Saturday’s game but former 5-star Bru McCoy balled out in his place again — with the perfect trigger-man for Heupel’s offense. 

Hooker continues to dazzle with nearly flawless performances each week. He tossed another couple majestic bombs Saturday, finishing with two more passing touchdowns and zero picks. A year after delivering a ridiculous 31:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio, Hooker has 10 touchdowns to zero picks in 2022.

Meanwhile, Tennessee’s defense, much-maligned a year ago, has played much better situational football in Year 2. There’s still some concerns in the secondary (LSU missed multiple chances at wide open receivers Saturday), but the front-seven has a slew of twitchy dudes who play with bad intentions (Roman Harrison, Byron Young, Aaron Beasley). 

It’s all coalesced in a team that could win 10 games for the first time in 15 years … that could make a New Year’s Six bowl game … that could get to Atlanta?

We’re going to find out here soon just how ready the Vols are for primetime. They did the deed Saturday, which only heightens expectations moving forward.

In 2016, Tennessee was ranked No. 9 and hosted No. 1 Alabama on the Third Saturday in October. The Vols were trucked 49-10, and their season cratered. 

That’s not going to happen in 2022. 

Tennessee’s offense is too good. Their head coach actually has a plan instead of empty catch phrases. Now, it’s more about whether or not Heupel’s program is even further ahead of schedule than we thought, allowing Big Orange Nation to get those feels again. 

Can Tennessee beat Alabama for the first time in 15 years? Can it upset Georgia on the road and win the SEC East?

Why not?

The Vols have a colossal showdown in Neyland Stadium against the top-ranked Crimson Tide next weekend. Two weeks later, they host Kentucky and then travel to Athens to play the Bulldogs. 

That’s three major opportunities. Three chances to prove just how legit they are in 2022. 

Bring on Bama? 

Again, why not?

Josh Heupel has more than proven he was a great hire by Danny White back in 2020. He’s guided the program out of the cesspool that was the Jeremy Pruitt Era. By Week 6, he’s already has three Top 25 wins in a single season — something Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley, Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt never did.

And with Hooker slicing defenses with his arm and legs, there’s no cap on Tennessee’s ceiling the rest of the fall. 

Together, they have a chance to deliver Tennessee its best season since Phillip Fulmer was roaming the sidelines — five coaches and a cast of characters at quarterback later.