The CheckerBoard

My predictions:

1. Tennessee will beat Florida handily. I think it will be a 10-point margin of victory at least. Florida may have a good defense, but their offense is going to be horrible, and their defense will be very winded trying to keep up with our offense.

2. Patterson will have at least five touchdowns. One of those will be from returning one to the house.

3. Our defense will improve upon last year's national ranking. We were top-25 last year, and that was after being thumped big-time by LSU, Bama, and Arkansas. We only play one of those teams this year.

4. Palardy will win us a game. I see Tennessee winning nine, and I think one of those games will be a close one in which Palardy kicks the game-winner.

5. Tennessee will be ranked in the top 15 at the end of the season, and have a top-10 recruiting class. With so many teams rebuilding this year (Bama, Boise, LSU, Oregon, Stanford, etc etc), I can see Tennessee getting into the top 15 with nine wins. Once that happens, the big-time recruits will start taking notice, including three five-star players already high on us (Von Bell, Toby Johnson, Derrick Henry).

My 5 stone cold locks for the Vols 2012 season

1. Snap the losing streak to Florida
2. Rank in the top 35 in the nation in rushing yards per game.
3. Have at least 6 players drafted next year (Bray, Hunter, Rodgers, Rivera, Waggner, Dallas)
4. Behind-the-woodshed beatdown Missouri (17+ points)
5. Finish in the top 15 in recruiting

Let's hope all this becomes true and the Vols can get back to where the Vols belong. I see us beating Florida and South Carolina,Mizzo,Bama,Vandy,Kentucky. I hope I'm right.