Poll: How important is the N.C. State game for the Vols?

Knoxville.com staff
Knoxville.com
Posted August 27, 2012 at 9:22 p.m.
1 Comment

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess // Buy this photo

University of Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley leads the Vols against North Carolina State in Atlanta Friday at 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU).

Poll

How important is the N.C. State game to Tennessee's season?

It’s critical. A win sets them up for a likely winning season, a bowl bid and a shot at being ranked eventually. A loss means they might skid through the season and end up struggling against Vandy and Kentucky at the end of the year. Again.

It’s important because the two teams are closely matched. There’s no better measure of a team than how it fares against a team that’s supposed to be something of an equal.

It’s the most important nonconference game, but not as important as any conference game. So it’s the ninth most-important game of the 12.

It’s a nonconference game and the season opener, so it’s not very significant. Win or lose, no one will be talking about it by the end of the year.

It’s not nearly as important as whether the Pride of the Southland Band manages to work “Call Me Maybe” or “Gangnam Style” into its halftime show.

View results | Previous polls

Here we go again: The Vols are launching into a new season.

Hopes and fears are at red alert: Will 2012 be a thrill ride for the Vols? Another nightmare? Something in between?

It all starts with Tennessee’s game against North Carolina State in Atlanta this Friday (7:30 p.m., ESPNU). The Vols are favored by a few points — is that good news? Is Da’Rick Rogers’ suspension a back-breaker? Can Tyler Bray get the job done?

And just how important is this game to the overall season, anyway?

So here we go again with our first Knoxville.com poll of the season: How crucial do you think this week’s game is to the Vols’ 2012 campaign? Pick one of these answers or post your own.

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August 28, 2012
12:26 p.m.
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wallingdad writes:

how important? I would say this game is second to the Florida game. these two games will be a real good indicator as to how good they actually are. win those two and I bet they go on and surprise a lot of folks. go 1-1 in those games and it may be another mediocre season. go 0-2 and it will be a dismal season.

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