The Tennessee Volunteers are on top of the college football world after beating Alabama last weekend for the first time in 15 years. The instant classic was the centerpiece of the weekend and put the college football nation on notice that Tennessee is indeed a College Football Playoff contender.
It’s probably a good thing that Tennessee welcomes UT-Martin to Knoxville this weekend. The Vols will be prohibitive favorites against the FCS In-System school, but the Skyhawks will still afford the Vols a chance to get some good work in and serve as a nice bridge between the big Alabama win and preparing for Kentucky.
Vols Host UT-Martin: Three Things to Look For
Tennessee welcomes alumni for Homecoming with the best season, at this point, since 1998. The fans returning for the festivities will see the nation’s third-ranked team and a quality in-state FCS team for what should be a low-drama day on Rocky Top. That’ll be a welcome relief after last week’s emotional roller coaster and next week’s showdown with Kentucky.
Coming Down From a High
This the most obvious thing to watch for as UT-Martin comes in one week after Tennessee’s biggest win in at least 15 years. The Vols are the talk of the college football nation right now – can they put the noise aside and prepare like they have all season?
UT-Martin’s defense isn’t overly big or athletic, and the Hendon Hooker-led Vols offense should be able to get in rhythm on the ground and through the air early. The Skyhawks are average almost three sacks per game, so the offensive line, who looked great last week, will have work to do in pass protection.
UT-Martin’s offense, on the other hand, is having success this year. Quarterback Dresser Winn is averaging almost 300 yards per game on 36 pass attempts per game. Winn is a pocket quarterback and isn’t really a threat in the running game. The Skyhawks’ offense will give the Tennessee secondary plenty of work on Saturday. And that’s actually a good thing for the Vols as their secondary needs all the work they can get. UT-Martin’s rushing attack is also effective, averaging almost 200 yards per game. The Vols’ defense will do well to keep UT-Martin in check for 60 minutes.
What to Look For: Fewer than 10 mental mistakes (Pre-Snap Penalties, Turnovers, Dropped Passes, and Blown Coverages)
Staying Healthy
Let’s be honest, UT-Martin should be no match for Tennessee. The Vols will keep things basic and one of the most important things for Tennessee will be staying healthy. They’ll take a Skyhawks cover (+38) in exchange for a blank injury report at the end of the game. Key players Gerald Mincey, Kamel Haddan, and Cedric Tillman are still nursing injuries sustained against Akron and Tennessee will look to get some backups in as soon as possible.
What to Look For: 0 Injuries.
Building Depth
Tennessee should be able to get plenty of work for their depth players, especially quarterback Joe Milton, reserve offensive linemen, and reserves on the defensive front. Continuing to build experience with depth players and getting game film on some of the younger players will be important for Josh Heupel and his staff.
What to Look For: Get Joe Milton in the game in the 3rd Quarter
Vols host UT-Martin: The Last Word
Heupel has had the Vols prepared and focused for every game this season. This will be no different. It will be strictly business as the cross state, in-system school visits Neyland Stadium. The final score won’t reflect the true difference between these two teams as Tennessee will likely get reserves in as early as possible on both sides of the ball. Kentuck and Georgia loom in the immediate future – games far more important than Saturday’s. Homecoming ends in a pleasant, albeit less dramatic, win against the Skyhawks.
Tennessee: 44
UT-Martin: 16
