The only thing worse than last Saturday night’s 33-27 loss to Oklahoma inside Neyland Stadium for the Tennessee Volunteers is having extra time to relive it.
Tennessee has reached its second open date of the season and won’t play again until Nov. 15 against visiting New Mexico State.
“In this game, at times there are going to be a result that you don’t like,” Vols fifth-year coach Josh Heupel said Wednesday during his lone news conference of the week. “Welcome to competing. If I had my wish after that one, you would play right away and move on to the next one.
“As a team, we’ve got a chance to get healthy, get focused and continue to get better and get ready for the last three-game stretch that we’ve got coming down the road.”
The loss to the Sooners dropped Tennessee to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in Southeastern Conference play, giving the Vols that third dreaded loss of the season. Last year marked the debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff, and no 9-3 team from the SEC received an invitation.