Only two teams off before us, a relatively low number, but they are in back to back weeks.
Loving the karma of Tennessee - who for years had an off-week before playing us and ran up a streak - having to play AT LSU and then having to play us back-to-back.
Couldn't happen to a more deserving group of slugscum.
Vols were off the week before us the following years during my fandom:
1987 - loss
1988 - loss, but played us better than any of their previous five opponents
1989 - loss
They lose every year but one 1986-1994 (and a tie the other time).
They start getting the week off before us and....
1996 - win
1998 - win
1999 - win
2000 - win
2001 - win
2002 - loss
2003 - 5 OT win
2005 - loss
2006 - win
7 wins out of 9 when they get an advantage.
2009 - Rocky Block
2010 - loss
2015 - loss but very late
So three times they had an off week since 2007 and it's their two best performances against us.
This. Is. Not. A. Coincidence.
With Darth Kramer gone, all their favors are gone, too.
(And yes - I'm realistic enough to know that the off week before playing us isn't the "only" reason they beat us, esp 1996-2001. But it didn't hurt them or help us, either).