This is admittedly a bit of a stretch, and no analytics or logic went into this comparison, but I started thinking about some similarities between our losses to Norte Dame in 2006 and 2007 and our series with the Volunteers, and how hopefully a similar fate to the one we Bruin fans experienced in the ND series, awaits the Volunteers faithful.

When we played ND in South Bend in 2006, we arguably lost a game we should have won.  We were leading late, played not to lose (thanks KD) and lost on an amazing last minute drive by ND.  Last year, the Vols arguably lost a game they should have won.  They led most of the game, we came back to take the lead in the 4th quarter, only to allow a last second field goal to tie the game.  We eventually win in overtime, sending the Vols home, to await the rematch this year.

In 2007, we played a horrible ND team at home.  They hadn’t won a game all year.  It was a game we should have won, but ND came into our house and kicked our asses despite a very large (78,543 reported in attendance), very pro-UCLA crowd at the Rose Bowl.  While we’re not as bad this year as ND was in 2007, and Neyland will be much more hostile than the Rose Bowl was when ND thumped us, but hopefully next Saturday, the Bruins will achieve the same result as the Irish did against us in 2007.  Hopefully, the bright orange-clad Volunteer faithful will feel the same pain we did after an embarrassing home loss to ND at home. 

Hopefully, they will lose the second game in a high profile out of conference home/away series. 

Hopefully, they will lose a home game most think they should win. 

Hopefully, they will believe like many of us did before the ND game in 2007 that the prior year’s game was one we should have won and try too hard to avenge a bitter road loss.

A fan can Hope, can’t  he???