Early TN Line is UK +9

[entropy13]

Master Bateman needs to ensure his defense gets off the field on 3rd downs, especially 3rd and long.

It's like before departing, Brad White put a hex on our 3rd down defense or something.

In parallel, the offense needs to convert better on 3rd down when we get there.

Improve those two things and win the turnover battle, and I think we win.

Oh, edited to add: none of those are likely, so we shouldn't get our hopes up. Tennessee will likely thump us.

 

[Goingfor9]

Hot take. OU is better than UT. LSU is better than UT. Alabama better than UT. USCjr just beat UT. Let’s not get in our own head because we struggle with UT. This isn’t their best team. There are lots of weaknesses stein will exploit and most of all. We re due! We re due to win off the bye week and usually that’s against UT in recent times.

 

[Cleatortoises]

Master Bateman needs to ensure his defense gets off the field on 3rd downs, especially 3rd and long.

It's like before departing, Brad White put a hex on our 3rd down defense or something.

In parallel, the offense needs to convert better on 3rd down when we get there.

Improve those two things and win the turnover battle, and I think we win.

Oh, edited to add: none of those are likely, so we shouldn't get our hopes up. Tennessee will likely thump us.

False.
They low down, dirty, snitches.

 

[AJBlue]

It’s about right. It will get closer probably +6.5

I was thinking 7.5 is where it will settle. It will ease down but don’t think better will let it go below one score difference.

 

[3 Putts]

Been a dog in every conference game outside of Vandy and Stein is a master at using this as motivation. A lot of people are probably expecting a Stoop’s team to show up in Knoxville, little offense and flat as hell off a bye.

 

[bpsteve1972]

I kinda hate they lost to SC. Gives them fuel to play harder against us. Plus we will be coming off a bye.

Tennessee will be coming off a bye as well

 

[BGCATFAN83]

Knoxville with be so loud our playbook with be shaking in coaches hand. It will by far be the toughest game so far and we have to play a hell of a game with sideways refs trying to save the league so the calls won't go in our favor either. Our story might start to fizzle out but we still a chance to bounce back regardless of how things go in Knoxville.

 

[peterpiper09]

Vegas has been wrong 4-5 weeks in a row now regarding the spread in UK games. Must be related to the same stupid imbeciles who keep putting UK too low in the AP Poll. They did it again with the TN game. I could’ve sworn the officials were trying to keep the UK lead at 10 in the Vandy game. I mean how many obvious pass interferences can a road team get by with? They finally had to give it up, or it seemed.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Knoxville with be so loud our playbook with be shaking in coaches hand. It will by far be the toughest game so far and we have to play a hell of a game with sideways refs trying to save the league so the calls won't go in our favor either. Our story might start to fizzle out but we still a chance to bounce back regardless of how things go in Knoxville.

People said that about A&M, OU, etc.

Minchey simply does not get rattled. Darby seems to be ahead of schedule too. We will be ready. We will win

 

[BBBLazing2point0]

I expected them to be favored, but that’s over the top to me. More like +5/6 imo.

where are you finding a line 2 weeks out?

 

[BBBLazing2point0]

It seems like each week it’s a must win situation for the team we play. It’s either to save their coaches job or to stop a losing streak or with something much bigger on the line. It hasn’t been easy facing these teams with their backs against the wall.

In the SEC, if you want to go to the Championship Game or the playoff, every week is definitely a must win situation. We've never been in a situation that we thought that was possible, but, that is the standard that you have to meet.

 

[Cats4321]

Faizon Brandon will likely be starting again, that will make the job harder. Will need to find a way to slow down Bishop. To win this game, we will need to do what we have done all season, win the turnover battle. +2 and we win. Even or neg and we get thumped

I'm not sure Brandon being back would make the job harder. He looked completely overwhelmed and not even close to being ready for major D1 football last time he played.

With that said, it will be a tough game. Tennessee always seems to play their best against us. They've had a huge advantage this year with all of their tough games being at home. They will have the artificial noise in Neyland cranked up(their own fans complain about it), so the environment will be a problem.

I think we have a coaching advantage this year. I also don't think this UT team is particularly talented. They don't have any real explosive playmakers compared to some of their previous teams. UT should probably be the favorite, but I think we have a legitimate shot if we play well.

 

[OldScratchBlues]

On a positive note... We go into the game pretty healthy!

Bye couldn't have come at a better time the way this season is going.

Drag em into the river!

 

[Pensacola_Cat_Fan]

I'm not sure Brandon being back would make the job harder. He looked completely overwhelmed and not even close to being ready for major D1 football last time he played.

With that said, it will be a tough game. Tennessee always seems to play their best against us. They've had a huge advantage this year with all of their tough games being at home. They will have the artificial noise in Neyland cranked up(their own fans complain about it), so the environment will be a problem.

I think we have a coaching advantage this year. I also don't think this UT team is particularly talented. They don't have any real explosive playmakers compared to some of their previous teams. UT should probably be the favorite, but I think we have a legitimate shot if we play well.

If it’s Brandon, maybe he’ll be rusty.

 

[vhcat1970]

where are you finding a line 2 weeks out?

Something flashed by last night so I clamped on it. Haven't seen again.

Good conversation starter though, isn't it?

 

[UKCowboys]

I'm not sure Brandon being back would make the job harder. He looked completely overwhelmed and not even close to being ready for major D1 football last time he played.

With that said, it will be a tough game. Tennessee always seems to play their best against us. They've had a huge advantage this year with all of their tough games being at home. They will have the artificial noise in Neyland cranked up(their own fans complain about it), so the environment will be a problem.

I think we have a coaching advantage this year. I also don't think this UT team is particularly talented. They don't have any real explosive playmakers compared to some of their previous teams. UT should probably be the favorite, but I think we have a legitimate shot if we play well.

There RB is a monster

 

[Cats_2010]

I see us struggling there. But have to win out for playoffs.

Negative. We still make the playoffs if we finish regular season at 10-2. SOS and SOR will be too good to leave us out.

 

[bigblueinsanity (the real)]

It seems like each week it’s a must win situation for the team we play. It’s either to save their coaches job or to stop a losing streak or with something much bigger on the line. It hasn’t been easy facing these teams with their backs against the wall.

That's just life in the sec. That's why its by far the toughest conference in the nation.

This will be by far our toughest challenge of the year. It will be a wild environment and huge stakes for both teams. Both teams will be coming off a bye.

I don't think we will wilt but I do think we will lose this game by 7-10 points.

 

[TTTblue24]

D-line will be huge in this game, gotta get pressure however we must and not give them 7 seconds to read the field. Also, we cannot give up cheap yards from qb scrambles and really need to own the LOS.

 

[rivercatinfl]

Beat the Vols and get some help from Florida beating Georgia and we will in tall cotton!!

 

[BellyBall]

Stopping their running game is job number one. If we can't stop Bishop we'll lose. Have to make either of the QB's beat us.

 

[MonsterMash79]

Negative. We still make the playoffs if we finish regular season at 10-2. SOS and SOR will be too good to leave us out.

Not making playoffs with 3 losses

 

[Anon1751335390]

Betting market and some predictive metrics are still skeptical of us. We are improving in them though. We jumped over 10 spots in SP+ after our Vandy win on Saturday.

 

[Feral Manatee]

and UK traditionally has not fared well after a bye.

I'm hopeful that that's a legacy thing and won't carry over to this new staff.

 

[Artlaibesghost]

Tennessee has ALOT of talent. They have a huge talented O line and a bruising stud running back. Fortunately for us they are often undisciplined and make lots of mental errors. It cost them the game last Saturday. When they don't make them as in Alabama game they can beat anybody. IMO they are the best team we have played thus far. They will pound the run and mix in an up tempo medium passing game. This is the game where our D-line HAS TO STEP UP. We contain the running game and force thier spotty QBs to beat us and don't turn it over ourselves we have a good chance. We are about to enter the absolute toughest stretch of our schedule. I don't think this team has played its best football yet which is a good thing because we do not win the next 3 games unless we get better. Championship caliber teams do that.

 

[HogCoyote]

Knoxville with be so loud our playbook with be shaking in coaches hand. It will by far be the toughest game so far and we have to play a hell of a game with sideways refs trying to save the league so the calls won't go in our favor either. Our story might start to fizzle out but we still a chance to bounce back regardless of how things go in Knoxville.

Knoxville environment ain't got anything on College Station and we went down there and handled that environment just fine and sent A&M in a tail spin.

 

[OldScratchBlues]

6:15 Kickoff on ESPN

What an odd time slot.

 

[Cats_2010]

Not making playoffs with 3 losses

Where did I say we would? You said we have to win out implying we can’t lose again at all, I clearly stated 10-2 gets us into the playoffs. Nowhere did I say 9-3 did.

 

[vhcat1970]

Knoxville environment ain't got anything on College Station and we went down there and handled that environment just fine and sent A&M in a tail spin.

Kyle Field is in the middle of a big pasture. What atmosphere?

 

[Artlaibesghost]

Where did I say we would? You said we have to win out implying we can’t lose again at all, I clearly stated 10-2 gets us into the playoffs. Nowhere did I say 9-3 did.

9-2 will get Alabama in or LSU in or Notre Dame or Indiana in. It will not get us in IMO. Not saying it would be fair just saying that's probably reality. We control our own destiny. Win out and we will not have to sweat it out on selection day.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Kyle Field is in the middle of a big pasture. What atmosphere?

It’s literally on campus. Probably the best opposing fan experience I’ve had too.

 

[Wildcatmenace]

Aren't both teams coming off a bye week?

Yes but imo that Carolina loss really stung for them. They played well but penalties removed 3 touchdowns, that can’t happen. They have a lot of negative chatter going on right now. We have them right where we want them in terms of a potential upset. (We’re the better team)

 

[Kats meow]

I expected them to be favored, but that’s over the top to me. More like +5/6 imo.

Then this is your chance to cash a big check.

where are you finding a line 2 weeks out?

good question.

 

[MonsterMash79]

Where did I say we would? You said we have to win out implying we can’t lose again at all, I clearly stated 10-2 gets us into the playoffs. Nowhere did I say 9-3 did.

Nah.. was saying we’d lose to UT but had to win out to make playoffs

 

[BellyBall]