Tennessee has looked like one of the best teams in the country so far in the beginning of the season, no doubt. Averaging 63.7 points per game while only allowing 4.3 is definitely worth a tip of the cap. But, are we hyping Tennessee up a little more than they deserve?
Photo Credit: ANDREW FERGUSON | TENNESSEE ATHLETICS
Tennessee's Journey Leading To Oklahoma
Week 1 of the College Football season, Tennessee routed FCS Chattanooga 69-3 while Nico Iamaleava put up 314 passing yards and 3 passing touchdowns. This is a great score to put up, but it is just an FCS team that has also now lost to Georgia State and Mercer at home.
Going onto Week 2, Tennessee has a ranked opponent in NC State, who, in hindsight, should never have been ranked. NC State was supposed to have the No. 3 ranked offensive line in the country coming into this game, yet they allowed 3 sacks and 13 tackles for a loss. Tennessee ended up beating them 51-10, a very impressive win, regardless of how disappointing NC State has been this season.
In Week 3, Tennessee hung 65 points on Kent State at halftime and ended up winning 71-0. This was an extremely impressive performance, no doubt, but how good has Kent State proven to be this season? The week prior, they lost to St. Francis 23-17 at home, a team who has lost their other 2 games to Dayton and Central Connecticut.
Not that I’m trying to take anything away from Tennessee, but I am curious if their resume isn’t quite as impressive as experts are making it out to be. Stats only tell you a part of the story, not the whole thing. Although stats lean towards Tennessee, are they telling us everything we need to know in this matchup?
What Does Oklahoma Bring to this Matchup?
Photo Credits: KEVIN JAIRAJ | USA TODAY SPORTS
The trip to Norman will be RS Freshman Nico Iamaleava’s first true road test in his career. Not many SEC fans understand how impacting Oklahoma’s home field advantage can be. Over the last 25 years, Oklahoma boasts a 91.7 winning percentage at the Palace On The Prairie, the best of all 134 FBS teams. Can this crowd be disrupting enough to put a little extra pressure on the young QB, or possibly even force miscommunication at the line?
Many would think Tennessee’s easy road to Norman would be a good thing as they roll into town, but I would possibly argue differently. While the Volunteers were out winning games that they led the whole way, feeling good about where they were at for all four quarters, Oklahoma fought through pressure of close games. When push comes to shove, Oklahoma is much more comfortable in a dog fight, if one were to break out. Will Tennessee panic if they’re faced with the first pressure of a close game, or possibly even losing a lead early in the game?
Big numbers are fun to see put up, and they’re definitely impressive, especially from a young QB and company. But, nobody can argue that Tennessee will be facing a defense that is head and shoulders above any other defense they have faced so far this season. The Sooners have a big, tough, gritty defense that enjoys enforcing their will. Nobody loves getting turnovers quite as much as this Sooner defense which leads the nation with 10 total turnovers in just 3 games.
Conclusion
So, is Tennessee as unbeatable for this Oklahoma team as many “experts” are saying? I believe the Sooners have a great chance to prove many people wrong on Saturday night. With the SEC road environment, the pressure this Oklahoma defense will bring, and returning injured players, Oklahoma will have to play their best to pull off the upset.
