I went back and forth as to whether or not I wanted to do an Orange Bowl Preview or not. Not only because of the disappointment of the debacle at South Carolina and the devastating injury to Hendon Hooker, but also because of the opt outs. Clemson had a couple. Cedric Tillman understandably opted out. Then Jalin Hyatt opted out. This is particularly disappointing as he is only a couple dozen yards from breaking Tennessee's record for receiving yards in a season. And then Jeremy Banks "opted out" as well. I understand the reasoning for the opt outs, but that doesn't mean I have to like them or praise them. The fact that it's seen as normal for elite players to opt out of major bowls is very disappointing and it's a sad thing to see happen to the greatest sport on Earth. Opting out of the Music City Bowl, that's one thing. We're talking about the Orange Bowl here. One of the three prestigious bowls that have laid the foundation for college football throughout the years. Along with the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl, the Orange Bowl has decided a great many national championships since the major polls began awarding their champions after the bowls were played. To see it suffer opt outs in years where it doesn't host a Playoff semifinal is very sad to say the least. At least it is for someone like me who loves and treasures the history of the greatest sport on Earth.
I have the utmost respect in this day and age for players like Darnell Washington, Byron Young, Princeton Fant, Bryce Young and Will Anderson who didn't opt out but decided to finish what they started with their teammates. That is becoming increasingly rare these days.
We have one more season of the four team Playoff before it expands to twelve teams. When that happens, the New Year's Six Bowls will all be relevant every single year. There is a silver lining on the horizon. The bad news is that games like the Citrus Bowl and all below it will mean even less.
I think Tony Basilio had a good point when he said the Group of 5 need to have their own playoff. In the expanded playoff, the top 6 conference champions are guaranteed a spot. I think we should adopt a second tournament where we guarantee the other 4 conference title winners a spot and have an 8 or 12 team playoff for that level. Kind of like an NIT for football. They could even use bowls for that tournament as well. They could either take the top remaining bowls like the Citrus, Holiday and Gator or they could take the top bowls for the Group of 5 level. Either way, it keeps more bowls relevant and gives the Group of 5 something tangible to play for. And college football fans get not only the Major Playoff to watch, but also the Group of 5 and the FCS Playoff as well. Think of all the high stakes football we could see in December and January. This seems like the optimal format for college football going forward.
As for the Orange Bowl, it really comes down to how well Joe Milton plays. If he plays well, Tennessee should win because there should be open receivers in Clemson's secondary. If Milton struggles, then I think the Vols will have a hard time keeping up with Cade Klubnik, as he is sure to torch Tennessee's secondary. It's really that simple. Tonight will tell us whether or not Joe Milton is the guy in 2023 or not. If he's not, the coaches will be left with a decision. Do they try to get a guy like Sam Hartman out of the transfer portal or do they try to get Tayven Jackson and Nico ready?
I do think Milton will play well and give Vol fans a lot of hope heading into next season. I think the running game will be effective and will allow Joe to make some deep plays.
Tennessee 41
Clemson 37
The Orange Bowl was the first bowl game Tennessee ever played in. Tennessee capped off a national championship 1938 season by beating Oklahoma 17-0. 84 years later, the Vols return to the Orange Bowl to cap off another special season. This season didn't end in a championship, but it did break a lot of bad streaks. First 10 win season since 2007. First 10 win regular season since 2003. First top 10 win since 2006. First top 5 win since 2005. Highest AP ranking since 2005. Became only the 7th team to hold the number 1 spot in the College Football Playoff Poll. Tennessee will lose no more than 3 games for the first time since 2004. If Tennessee wins the Orange Bowl, it will be the first time since 2001 that they finished the season with only 2 losses. It will also be the first time since 2001 that they win 11 games with an Orange Bowl win.
As I said earlier, I went back and forth on whether or not I should do an Orange Bowl Preview. In the end, I couldn't possibly let Tennessee's first major bowl appearance since the 2000 Fiesta Bowl pass without writing a preview for it.
That said, I think there may be some changes to these game previews going forward. I feel like I finally have my football program back. As of right now, I just want to enjoy these games and savor the Vols finally being back as much as possible. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy writing these previews. But sometimes they feel like a chore. For next year, I'm thinking I may only do them for the opener and for big games. Who knows though? It might come time for football season next year and I might not make any changes to the previews. This is just how I feel right now. As I say in this space often, football is only here for a fleeting few months. Cherish every second of it.
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Have a wonderful New Year everyone. I hope all of your resolutions come true. Most importantly, stay safe and cherish your loved ones. You never know how much time you will have with them. It was a great year for Tennessee football. The first of many to come under Josh Heupel. Go Vols and God Bless!