If you are the head football coach at the University of Tennessee and the football season has ended, your last game had better be a bowl game and even better if it’s a win in a bowl game. The 2005 football season did end with a win, which is a good thing, but it’s those six losses that cause most of those on Rocky Top to squirm in their seats. And when the Volunteer faithful are squirming in their seats you can bet the head coach’s seat is warming up. Actually, warm is an understatement. Head Coach Phil Fulmer’s britches are just about smoking by now from a seat that can’t get any hotter. To make things worse, Fulmer’s Volunteers don’t have a cup cake to push around on opening day. Somehow expectations for the Volunteers don’t fall off because the team had a lousy 2005 campaign and it doesn’t help when the pollsters continue to rank the team in the top 25 to fuel the fire. Matters could get worse too when the 9th ranked team in the land, the University of California Golden Bears are coming to town and want to make a statement.
Bet on the Tennessee Vols vs. Cal Golden Bears game here.
Cal is bringing 15 returning starters from its team that went 8-4 last year including a thrilling 35-28 win over Brigham Young in the Pure Vision Las Vegas Bowl. The Bears also welcome the return of quarterback Nate Longshore who went down due to injury in last years opening game versus Sacramento State. Longshore went down in the second quarter of that game with a broken leg. Through the spring and fall practice Longshore has been in a battle with senior Joe Ayoob for the starting job and on Tuesday was officially named the starter by coach Tedford after practice at Memorial Stadium.
“Nates going to start the game,” Tedford said. “They both have had great camps but somebody’s got to take the first snap. He feels great. It’s very possible that both (Longshore and senior Joe Ayoob) will play. We’ll see about the flow of the game.”
Part of Tennessee’s problem in 2005 was Fulmer couldn’t settle on one starting quarterback switching back and forth from Erik Ainge and Casey Clausson. Now that Casey has departed, the job belongs to Ainge who has had plenty of time to develop under the eye of new offensive coordinator David Cutcliff more known as the man who developed Payton and Eli Manning.
The weather forecast for Knoxville at game time calls for lightening and thunder and if Cal has its way with Tennessee the results will be much worse than the lightening bolts and high winds still lingering from tropical storm Ernesto.
Phil Fulmer must right his ship quickly in 2006 but the odds makers seem to like the Golden Bears on Saturday installing them at a –2 point chalk. The total is set at 43.
Look for a healthy Tennessee squad to get a victory in this game. The Volunteers are never short on talent. Most of the issues that haunted Tennessee in 2005 have been addressed and Cal must deal with that 12th man, the raucous 107,000 Volunteer fanatics in the stands.
Tennessee Volunteers vs California Golden Bears
September 2nd, 2006
5:30 pm Eastern
ESPN (HD)
Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
Line Cal –2 Total 43
