Derek Mason says win streak over Tennessee puts Vanderbilt in SEC East ‘conversation’

For Tennessee to place themselves among the upper echelon of college football once again, they of course have to beat the Alabama’s, the Georgia’s and the Florida’s of the world.

Despite a decade of despair, heartbreak and mediocrity, beating the SEC elites remains the standard in Knoxville.

But what about the Vanderbilt’s and the Kentucky’s, too?

The Vols lost at unranked Kentucky in 2017, but returned the favor by beating the No. 12 Wildcats convincingly, 24-7 last season. They also went on the road an knocked off a then-ranked Auburn team.

But when it comes to Vanderbilt, Tennessee’s in-state rival, the Vols have found little luck in a series that has been traditionally lopsided since its inception way back in 1892.