Taylor Talkin’ Tigers: Ranking Auburn’s Conference Schedule

Phillip Fulmer, Jeremy Pruitt Photo: Knoxville News-Sentinel

#6 TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

DETAILS: OCTOBER 13 in AUBURN

The first eastern opponent Auburn will see this season will be the Tennessee Vols. Like Mississippi State, Tennessee will have a new leader entering 2018, and it is a guy that Auburn knows very well.

Jeremy Pruitt was a key assistant for Rush Probst’s Hoover High School football teams from 2004-2006, before landing his first division one coaching job at the University of Alabama, beginning as the Director of Player Development before becoming the defensive backs coach, and ultimately becoming defensive coordinator in his most recent stint with the Tide. Pruitt has also served as defensive coordinator for Florida State and Georgia.

Pruitt has faced Auburn in every season that he has been a coach in division one, going 8-3 in 11 years as an assistant… so he has experience in drawing up game plans that have worked against the Tigers. How will that transition into a head coach? It’s too early to tell.

Butch Jones left the program in bad shape, and the Vol Nation would not allow just anyone to take his place. Greg Schiano was assumed to be the new leader, but a massive backlash from alumni and fans forced the deal to fall through, and athletic director John Currie’s tenure abruptly ended. Former Vol player and head coach Phillip Fulmer is now athletic director, and Jeremy Pruitt is the new head coach. Something that Vol fans everywhere agreed with.

Tennessee improves from their 0-8 SEC finish in 2017, but they will not be as competitive as they will be in the future.

Prediction: Auburn 34 Tennessee 21