NCAAF No. 6 Tennessee at No. 15 Oklahoma Free Pick

Matt Dominique | September 17, 2024

The No, 15 Oklahoma Sooners will get their first taste of Southeastern Conference play with a toughie against the sixth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers Saturday evening. Both teams enter 3-0.

Game time in Norman is 7:30 PM (ET).

Things are rolling with Rocky Top. Say whatever you wish about the level of competition, but the Tennessee Volunteers have scored a basketball-esque 191 points in three games (69-3 against Chattanooga, 51-10 vs. North Carolina St., 71-0 over Kent St.)

Tennessee had a 65-0 lead at the half against the Golden Flashes, more than 500 yards of offense as well,

Oklahoma remains at home after defeating Tulane, 34-19 last weekend. It was balance (182 rushing yards, 167 yards passing) as the Sooners built a 21-0 second-quarter lead

This is just the fifth meeting between the programs (first since 2015). OU is leading, 3-1.

Tennessee is 7½-point favorite (total at 57½), according to college football odds.

Title in Tennessee?

Tennessee, under coach Josh Heupel, figures there’s a seat at the newly-expanded 12-team College Football Playoff with its name on it.

Entering as the No. 6 team in the nation, the team is averaging 600 yards of offense per game.

These sort of ‘electric football’ (Google it) numbers are led by quarterback Nico Iamaleava (698 passing yards, six touchdowns), running back Dylan Sampson (7.9 yards/carry, nine touchdowns) and wide receiver Dont’e Thornton (33.8 yards/catch).
Tennessee was 9-4 and ranked No 17 last season.

Anderson to Return?

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables would be tickled if sophomore receiver Nic Anderson made his season debut against Tennessee.

Anderson missed the first three games with an ‘undisclosed’ injury, but last season as a redshirt freshman, Anderson ended with 38 receptions (798 yards, 10 touchdowns) as the Sooners finished 10-3 (ranked 15th) last season.

This season’s version of the Sooners has offered some balance, with a trio of ball carriers (including quarterback Jackson Arnold) at least 100 ground yards. Tight end Bauer Sharp’s 10 catches lead the receivers.

Arnold has thrown an interception in each of the Sooners’ last two games.

Forget the Fireworks

If you’re a fan/believer, Tennessee is 16-1 (+1600) to win the title, Oklahoma at 80-1 (+8000), as per college football championship odds.

Are the Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners just going to pound the scoreboard into submission Saturday evening? This is Oklahoma’s SEC debut in a game between top-15 teams.

While both offenses have a lot of firepower, these two defenses have shone as well.

Tennessee has allowed a miniscule 4.33 points per game this season, including a game on the road (Charlotte) against Atlantic Coast Conference foe North Carolina St.

Tennessee surrenders just 105 yards passing and fewer than 56 yards on the ground, too

Oklahoma has already played three FBS opponents (Temple Owls, Houston Cougars and Tulane Green Wave) to begin the season. OU’s opponents have scored just 11.33 points per game, thus difficult to find many flaws on either defense in this contest.

With a partisan crowd behind it, Oklahoma’s defense should at least slow down what’s been a pinball Tennessee Volunteer offense, so under (57½) is our endorsement. Also, a lean toward Oklahoma +7 at home. Buy the half if you can. Bet these picks now at BETUS.com