Back in the summer, I never dreamed this week's game against Northern Illinois would be a must-win game for the Tennessee Volunteers. However, that is what it has become after opening with three losses in four games. Tennessee has to win this game to keep its bowl hopes alive.
As we all know, the offense can't consistently move the ball, much less score. The loss to Auburn was one of the most frustrating ones in recent years because of all the opportunities we had to pull it out in the fourth quarter. Great field position was squandered time after time.
As of this writing, we don't know who will start at quarterback for the Vols. Phillip Fulmer said Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens will split snaps this week in practice. My guess is that we will see both of them a lot the rest of the season. But to paraphrase an old football cliché: "Any team that has to play two quarterbacks really doesn't have one at all."
The bottom line is all the Vols need from the quarterback position is consistent management of the game. This is because the defense has looked really good the last two games, and special teams improved significantly against Auburn.
We have to avoid the crippling mistakes that we've seen time after time this year.
As for this week, the Vols will win, but we are still feeling our way.
The pick: Tennessee 24 Northern Illinois 17
Other SEC picks: Vanderbilt over Auburn, Florida over Arkansas, Ole Miss over South Carolina, Alabama over Kentucky
Last week: 5-2 (.714), Overall: 34-9 (.791)
2 comments:
Man, after watching the MTSU-FAU game last night, I'm not so sure that Tennessee could decisively defeat either of those teams.
UT is going to defeat NI, but it's gonna be ugly ... the first half, at least.
It pains me to say it, but all I can say at this point is: Go 'Dores!
Tennessee 13 Northern Illinois 9. The score speaks for itself.
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