After coming off a bye week, the No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers (4-1) hope to get their second SEC win of the season against the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-3).
Arkansas is also coming off a much-needed bye week. In its last game, the Razorbacks lost 56-13 to Notre Dame and subsequently fired head coach Sam Pittman. Now, former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino (2008-11) will find himself in a familiar role as interim head coach.
How Tennessee Stacks Up
Tennessee is heading into this game with notable wins over Syracuse and Mississippi State. The Vols currently have the No. 6 offense in the country, led by transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar. Through five games, Aguilar has shattered expectations, ranking second in the conference in passing yards. So far, he has completed 65% of his passes for 1,459 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, including two rushing touchdowns.
However, Aguilar isn’t the only Volunteer making national headlines. Junior wide receiver Chris Brazzell II is mounting a strong campaign for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the most outstanding receiver in college football.
Brazzell is currently tied for first in the country in receiving touchdowns with seven. He also has 531 receiving yards, which places him second in the SEC. If he keeps up similar numbers through the rest of the season, he will be on pace for nearly 1,300 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Both of those totals would surpass Jalin Hyatt’s 2022 statistics — the year Hyatt became the first Tennessee receiver to win the Biletnikoff Award.
On defense, Tennessee’s pass rush has also been stellar, averaging 4.2 sacks per game. The Vols currently have 21 sacks on the year, which is tied for first in the country. However, they have struggled in other defensive categories, ranking 76th in total defense and tied for 115th in passing yards allowed.
Many of these defensive woes could be attributed to injuries. Preseason All-American cornerback Jermod McCoy was initially rumored to make his debut against the Razorbacks after suffering an ACL tear in January, but it was recently revealed he will not return this week.
Thankfully, junior defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs has been cleared from the foot injury he suffered before the start of the season. Hobbs was the No. 4 defensive lineman in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports, and he’s expected to have a significant role on defense when healthy.
What to Expect From Arkansas
Although Arkansas doesn’t appear to be a threat this season, it has still had Tennessee’s number in recent memory. The Vols have lost four straight games against the Razorbacks and have not beaten them since 2007.
Last season, Tennessee started the year 4-0 until it traveled to Fayetteville and suffered a crushing 19-14 upset loss to Arkansas — a loss the players haven’t forgotten. At least that’s what head coach Josh Heupel implied during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference:
“I think everybody certainly remembers the disappointment of that night,” Heupel said. “It’s a part of how you move forward as a program.”
Hopefully, the Volunteers corrected their mistakes from last season because the Razorbacks still have dangerous weapons on their team, even with their recent struggles. Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green ranks No. 4 in the SEC in both passing yards and touchdowns. He is also an excellent runner, compiling 441 rushing yards this year, which places him fourth in the SEC.
Even though Arkansas fired its head coach, it still boasts the No. 8 offense in the country, and with Tennessee’s struggles on defense, that could become a significant issue. However, the Vols’ elite pass rush should be a key factor in disrupting the Razorbacks’ offense.
Outside of Arkansas’ talented offense, its defense leaves much to be desired. The Razorbacks have the 117th-ranked defense in the FBS, allowing 168 rushing yards and 257 passing yards per game. That could be a problem for Arkansas, considering Tennessee has the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, averaging 51 points per game.
Considering Tennessee is coming off a bye week, with all the motivation from last season’s matchup and a talented roster to match, it is unlikely the Vols will lose on Saturday. Additionally, they are playing at home, and Heupel is 27-5 in Neyland Stadium, with three of those losses coming against Georgia.
Final prediction: Tennessee 41, Arkansas 17
