re: When was the true downfall of Tennessee football?

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the league was way weaker back in 2000-2004.

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From 2008-20012, Tennessee's SEC opponents had a .624 win percentage. From 2000-2004, Alabama's SEC opponents had a .591 win percentage. "Way weaker" is a stretch.

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past few years Tennessee played one of the most brutal conference + ooc schedules in the nation.

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So? Alabama's was tougher.

From 2000-2004, Alabama's FBS opponents were 439-298 (.596). From 2008-2012, Tennessee's FBS opponents were 434-324 (.573). Also, Tennessee played three FCS teams; Alabama only played one.

Few teams blew Alabama out of the water during a game. LSU was the only team to beat them by 20+ points. Meanwhile, Tennessee's been waxed 13 times by 20+ points in the last five years.

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I wonder what 3, 4 win season feels like

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The same as 5-7 seasons. No bowl. Abstractly, what's the difference between a 3-9 team and a 5-7 team? They both blow. You're trying to split a lot of hairs to make a pretty empty point.

Fact is, Alabama, weakened primarily by substantial NCAA penalties, was a better program at the turn of the century than Tennessee, a program that has utterly eaten itself, is now.