It’s the Tennessee Volunteers vs the Oklahoma Sooners this Saturday. Jackson Arnold and Nico Iamaleava will be sure to put on a great show, but only one will be standing tall at the end of the night. This climactic matchup is perhaps the biggest of the entire college football season so far. So, where do both teams stand heading into this weekend?
Tennessee Volunteers vs Oklahoma Sooners Preview
The Prodigal Son Returns
Head Coach Josh Heupel is returning to Oklahoma for the first time since 2014. As a quarterback, Heupel led the Sooners to their last national title in 2000. After an unsuccessful run with both the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers, Heupel turned to coaching. Heupel would coordinate Oklahoma’s offense from 2006 to 2014. After failing to overcome Clemson’s defense in 2014, though, Heupel’s time with Oklahoma came to an end.
The once-unknown quarterback had one of the highest passing accuracy rates during his time on the field. On the sidelines, he coached some of the best offenses in the country. Since moving to Tennessee in 2021, Heupel has been leading the Volunteers to winning season after winning season. If there’s one man who understands Oklahoma football, and how to overcome it, it’s Heupel.
What Tennessee Brings to Kickoff
Looking purely at statistics alone, this game appears to be a foregone conclusion. Tennessee has put up no less than fifty points each game so far and even scored 71 points last week. Looking more closely, however, shows that it’s been a cakewalk so far. Chattanooga, North Carolina State, and Kent State aren’t exactly the type of opponents defined as ‘challenging’.
While the rest of the nation has seen upsets and close games, Tennessee has been firmly in control of its destiny. Iamaleava, the starting quarterback for the Vols, is already in consideration for the Heisman race. Dylan Sampson, the starting running back, has put up 100+ rushing yards in each game. Chris Brazell II and Bru McCoy are the leading receivers so far. Tennessee also has one of the best defenses in the nation right now, ranking anywhere from No. 2 to No. 6 depending on where you look.
Oklahoma’s First Big Test
The entrance exam to the SEC this year could not be more challenging. Initially, Last Word on Sports predicted that Oklahoma would overcome Tennessee. That was before injuries began plaguing the Sooners’ offense. It was also before they slogged it out against Houston in Week Two. Clearly, it’s time for a re-evaluation.
Gavin Sawchuck and Jovantae Barnes have been decent hands at running back this season. However, it’s telling that both of them have been outclassed by their own quarterback. As of last week, Arnold became the leading rusher for the Oklahoma Sooners. Deion Burks, Bauer Sharp, and Jake Roberts have been the primary receivers so far, and are usually able to break coverage and gain great yardage. Nic Anderson, a leading receiver from last season, may be starting this weekend.
The offensive line, on the other hand, has struggled. Branson Hickman, the star center from SMU, has been out since week one. Geirean Hatchett replaced him, only to also be put out for the season. A semi-injured Joshua Bates has taken the position in the meantime. Febechi Nwaiwu became the starting right guard as Hatchett’s replacement. To put it bluntly, this patchwork offense is not what the Sooners were preparing with during the offseason. This means the Sooners are, each week, planning for a team they may not have by the next game.
This also hinders the backfield. Strong defenses can overpower a weaker line and give the quarterback less time to scout out his receivers. It also gives less time for running backs to run their own routes and escape.
Oklahoma’s Strong Side
On the other side, the Sooners’ defense is solid. They stopped Houston in critical moments and forced Tulane to fight for every single yard. With talents like Billy Bowman, Robert Spears Jennings, Damonic Williams, and Danny Stutsman, it’s no surprise that Head Coach Brent Venables has, once again, created a sterling defense. However, is this defense enough to overcome Iamaleava, Sampson, and McCoy?
Put simply: Venables did it once, and he may be able to do so again. The Clemson team that Heupel was unable to score more than a touchdown against? That defense was led by Venables himself. The knowledge of Heupel’s weaknesses may be Venables’ best asset in this game. If he prepares the defense correctly, Oklahoma could shut the entire Tennessee offense down.
Oklahoma Sooners vs Tennessee Volunteers Prediction
ESPN’s College Gameday will be there to host Oklahoma’s introduction to the SEC. There have been other SEC games so far, but none are bigger than this moment. Tennessee is the heavy favorite going into this game, while Oklahoma is the definitive underdog. Arnold’s gunslinging style is improving, but he’s yet to perfect it. Without an offensive line to give him the time to do so, however, Arnold may not get a chance.
We may have been predicting that Oklahoma would overcome Tennessee initially. Now it’s time to officially reverse that decision. Tennessee will take the win from the Sooners this year, but it certainly won’t be easy.
