The Tennessee Volunteers will buy out of their 2013 football game at Oregon, Rob Moseley of The Register Guard announced on Twitter.
Tennessee and Oregon signed a contract for a home-and-home series back in 2005. In the first game in 2010, the Ducks crushed the Volunteers 48-13 in Knoxville.
Last year, Tennessee cancelled a home-and-home series with North Carolina that left the Tar Heels scrambling to complete their 2011 slate. They ended up scheduling a home-and-home with Louisville.
The Vols aren’t the first SEC school to cancel a road game at Oregon. The Georgia Bulldogs cancelled a 2015-16 series with the Ducks last September.
What does the cancellation of the trip to Oregon mean for Tennessee? It could mean that future SEC expansion will lead to a nine-game conference schedule. Or the Vols could simply be lightening their strength of schedule.
Update (7:45 p.m.) – Tennessee has released, through their official Twitter account, the following statement: “Contrary to reports, our head coach and team expect to make the trip to Oregon in ’13 unless they cancel.”
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View Comments (43)
I vote that they are lightening their schedule. In the SEC you need to schedule 4 non conference cream puffs, go 2-6 in conference, and then we can all talk about their depth....
Similar to how Indiana "ducked" out of a rematch w/ Oregon in 2005...
As a Volfan, I will boycott this team as long as DD is coach! First USC, Then UNC, now Oregon...enough already! It is too much shame for a proud Volunteers fan to bear. I refuse to support a coaching staff that runs scared and I won't pull for Sissy U!
Are you an idiot? Derek Dooley has nothing to do with scheduling. Absolutely none. Become educated on your college football before you mouth off.
Uhmmm....the coach has VERY much to do with scheduling. He doesnt make the actual phone call but you can bet your tail that he has a say so in it before the scheduling is done.
wHY DON'T YOU GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR KITTY WAMPUS. YOU DON'T
KNOW YOR REAR FROM HOME PLATE ANY FOOL KNOWS THAT A DANG CHICKEN
AIN'T NUTHIN BUT A BIRD.
Between Boise and byu pulling wins in SEC territory and auburn almost loosing to Utah state, I wouldn't doubt it they actually got pressure from the SEC itself to cancel that game (though it was obviously already in the works). The SEC as a whole has a reputation to uphold, and you wouldn't want them loosing anymore face and letting Oregon redeem themselves against the conference after dropping two straight games to the sec.
Don't think for a moment that conference as a whole doesn't have a hand involved in many of these decisions because the sec has a reputation to uphold.
almost losing to Utah Sate does not count. Comment when Utah State beats Auburn
They are just making room for Texan A&M on the 2012 TN schedule.
Post updated to reflect statement from UT via their Twitter account (see above).
thats SEC for 'ain't no way we are playing at Oregon in 2013!"
What'sa matter, Tennessee? Chicken?
Vols will be grown in 2013 and they will be eating duck.You will be eating crow!!!!!!!! I'll except a bet. GBO CB
i actually wanna play oregon so we can shut em out early at their own stadium so they wont have a shot at a bcs title and give ut a little more respect in the sec. i bet this was all dooley. thank god we got rid of him and are getting john gruden/tee martin next year for coach and assistant coach. hopefully they can redeem this and we will play them!
thats some baby back bull spit, just like when mizzou backed out of playing iowa and played illinois instead, like brock lesnar said chicken salad from chiken spit, tennessee is trash anyway, iowa is the best, legends division, big 10/12/16 whatever, we rock tennessee is whack, vols, pffft, ick
Those of you hating on the SEC: First of all, this game (according to UT) is still on after all. Also, Tennessee will play Oklahoma in 2014 and 2015, Nebraska in 2016 and 2017, Ohio State in 2018 and 2019, and USC in 2021 and 2022. What more do you want/expect?
For purposes of this (sad and silly) thread, absolutely right on both counts Matt. Not only is this game back on anyway, but Tennessee sure has set up some quality 1-1's over the next 10 years. Can't ask for more than that from the Vol. Could certainly ask much more from 70% of the other BCS schools in their future NC schedules.
Only problem is, there's little or no incentive for ANY BCS team to push themselves in their non-conference schedule...
I expect them to play Oregon in Eugene like they agreed to.
People are just un-educated ignorant idiots. I've learned to ignore it. Bottom line is UT plays in the SEC. Their schedule is harder than any other non-SEC team in the country. UT plays multiple top 25 teams every single year and have monster out of conference match-ups scheduled for the next 10 years!
Correction they are scheduled to pay those games. Plenty of time to run crying into the hills.
Thanks, it's noted at the bottom of the article.
ohio state was cancelled. funny thing was they were the ones to buy out of it. not us
Tim.....those games are scheduled on paper only....if UT pulls itself from the Oregon game,there isn't much doubt they might do the same for the rest of those series as well.
Understood...For fans' sake I hope the "written word" is kept for each of these matchups.
Definitely possible too if the SEC goes to 9 conference games.
There must be something to this rumor of UT pulling out or Chip Kelly wouldn't have said anything.