KNOXVILLE – Baylen Buchanan was beginning his turn with the media on Monday when the Tennessee junior cornerback was asked whether the Volunteers’ recent history against Vanderbilt would inspire them when visiting their in-state and Southeastern Conference rivals Saturday.
“It definitely helps,” said the son of former Atlanta Falcons great Ray Buchanan. “Seeing as how we haven’t beaten them in two years, we should definitely go in with a chip on our shoulder.”
No offense to the Commodores – who have the same 5-6 record as UT entering this one, which means they must also win to go bowling – but this is where we now are in this so-called rivalry: The Vols view themselves as the hunter rather than the hunted.
Not the hunter against Alabama, Florida or Georgia, mind you. The hunter against – brace yourselves, Big Orange Nation – Vanderbilt!
Though Volniacs can feel somewhat superior in the fact that Tennessee still leads the overall series by a rather one-sided margin of 75-31-5, Vandy not only has won the last two meetings but four of the last six. Beyond that, in three of those losses, the Vols have surrendered 41 or more points, including last season’s 42-24 defeat and 2016’s 45-34 loss after leading for much of the night.