Ranking Vols football opponents in degree of difficulty

Tennessee’s football schedule will include four of the top 16 teams in the USA TODAY preseason coaches poll. But unranked opponents will pose challenges for the Vols, too.

Here’s how the UT schedule looked when I ranked opponents as to degree of difficulty.

Alabama: Big surprise, huh?

There might be as many All-American candidates on Alabama’s depth chart as there are in the rest of the SEC combined, which helps explain why Alabama is a consensus preseason No. 1.

More:Find out when Vols play | 2017 Tennessee football schedule: Dates, times, TV and radio info

Alabama’s schedule could work in UT’s favor, though. As in 2015, when Tennessee almost upset the Tide, Alabama won’t have a break before it takes on the Vols on Oct. 21.

Florida: The Vols ended an 11-game losing streak to the Gators last season. But they will have to deal with another streak in September – six consecutive losses in The Swamp.

Since Tennessee started playing Florida on an annual basis in 1990, it has won back-to-back games against the Gators only once (2003-04).

Kentucky: I’m not suggesting the Wildcats will field a better team than Georgia or LSU. But they will be catching the Vols at the right time, the Saturday after Alabama, at Commonwealth Stadium.

Georgia: The Bulldogs are favored to win the SEC East mainly because of their defense, which will return 10 starters. They should present the biggest challenge to UT’s offense until it faces Alabama in late October.

You can count on the game being close. The last six games in the series have been decided by eight points or fewer.

LSU: Playing the Tigers at Neyland Stadium will toughen up what often has been a more manageable November schedule.

LSU’s Derrius Guice might be the best running back in the country. But there are at least five better quarterbacks in the SEC West than LSU’s Danny Etling.

Missouri: Never mind that UT beat the Tigers by 26 points last season. It gave up an astounding 740 yards of total offense.

Missouri will return 10 starters from that offense.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks, like Missouri, will have the passing game to take advantage of UT’s questionable secondary. But after last season’s damaging upset loss to South Carolina in Columbia, Tennessee should be jacked up for the rematch.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets won’t be lacking in experience with 16 of 22 starters returning. However, the departure of veteran quarterback Justin Thomas could be as significant in the season opener as all that experience.

Vanderbilt: The Commodores did a number on UT last season. That alone should provide all the incentive UT needs to avoid another embarrassment.

Southern Mississippi: If Tennessee’s run defense fades the way it did last season, USM running back Ito Smith could have a big day. He probably will finish his career as the Golden Eagles’ all-time leading rusher.

Massachusetts: In most seasons, UMass would be the weakest opponent on UT’s schedule. But in most years, Tennessee doesn’t schedule Indiana State.

The Minutemen are 10-50 over the past five seasons.

Indiana State: Credit the Vols with seemingly doing the impossible: Finding an opponent that could be less competitive than Tennessee Tech was last season.

Reach John Adams at john.adams@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6284 and on Twitter @johnadamskns.

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