Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
USA TODAY
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Oklahoma Sooners: Predictions, odds and how to watch Saturday
By Elizabeth Flores, USA TODAY,
3 hours ago
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - SEPTEMBER 7: Head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on defensive back Jaydan Hardy #14 on a fourth-and-22 against the Houston Cougars resulting in a first down for Houston in the third quarter at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 7, 2024 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 16-12. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) Brian Bahr, Getty Images
College Football Week 4 is set to witness a dramatic return as Josh Heupel, now leading the Tennessee Volunteers , heads back to Norman to face the Oklahoma Sooners in an SEC showdown on Saturday.
The Volunteers are on a roll, heading to the Sooner state after a stellar 3-0 start to the season and a jaw-dropping 71-0 win over Kent State in Week 2. They have consistently outscored their opponents by 40 or more points in every game this season. The team is spearheaded by freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava , who has a remarkable 71.6% completion rate with 698 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions heading into Week 4.
The Sooners , still undefeated, are facing a new challenge after a 34-19 victory over Tulane. However, there's a lingering question among fans about whether Oklahoma can maintain their dominance in their new conference. Quarterback Jackson Arnold displayed his versatility, completing 18 of 29 attempts for 169 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 97 yards and scored two touchdowns.
This game will be more than just a must-watch matchup. It will be a reunion for Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables and Tennessee's head coach Heupel, who were both part of legendary Bob Stoops' coaching staff. Venables, who coached at Oklahoma for 13 years from 1999 to 2011, including in 2000 when the Sooners last won a national championship, will face off against his former colleague, Josh Heupel, the 2000 national championship quarterback and a 10-year coaching veteran at Oklahoma.
Colin Lynch writes: "While Oklahoma is clearly the best team Tennessee has seen in 2024, I am buying what I have seen from the Vols. They go into a hostile environment led by a freshman quarterback and emerge as not only SEC title contenders but national championship contenders as well."
Staff writes: "Most bets are expecting the Volunteers to handle their business in the SEC opener. A majority 67 percent of bettors are projecting Tennessee to win the game and cover the spread. And the remaining 33 percent of wagers expect OU will either upset the Vols or cover the line."
Shane Mickle writes: "Tennessee is going to go on the road, and they are going to put on a show. Oklahoma might be 3-0, but I am not sold on this team being all that good. Tennessee is an elite offensive team, and they are going to have no issue running up the score here. The Sooners have no one to slow down Iamaleava, and that is going to be the difference here, as Tennessee is going to cruise to the victory. Back Tennessee against the spread here."
College football 2024: Tennessee vs. Oklahoma odds, lines:
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
Comments / 0