Oklahoma visits Tennessee, Preview

The month of November is here. Which teams will separate themselves from the pretenders and establish themselves as contenders? Two teams that need a big win are 18th-ranked Oklahoma and 14th-ranked Tennessee, who play on Saturday at 7:30 pm. A win this week for either could return them to the college football playoff conversation. To prepare you for the SEC’s nightcap, here’s a preview of the game.

Oklahoma vs. Tennessee Preview

An Inconsistent Offense takes on a Struggling Defense

The Sooners have found more success in the run game recently, but still have struggled to execute down the stretch. For the second week in a row, they have reached the 100-yard mark, last week being Xavier Robison who ran for 109 yards. Still, they have been shut out in the fourth quarter in three of their last four games. The only fourth-quarter point they scored in that span was a safety. They were also shut out in the fourth quarter against Temple in week three. A lot of the end-of-game struggles lie with quarterback John Mateer and the Oklahoma offensive line.

The key to Oklahoma’s offense is wide receiver Isaiah Sategna.  He has scored a touchdown in four of the last five games. On top of that, he has led the team in receiving yards in five of the last six games. He has become the much-needed number one receiver for the Sooners. The only mistake he has made this season was the fumble he had at the end of the Ole Miss game last week. He still looks to be the first Oklahoma receiver to hit the 1,000-yard mark since Marvin Mims Jr. in 2022.

Tennessee’s Struggling Defense

Last season, the Vols’ defense was ranked second in the nation in total defense and passing defense. This season, they are 123rd in yards allowed through the air with 266 yards per game. In the rush game, they are 54th, giving up 136 yards a game on the ground. With the loss of James Pearce Jr. to the league and the ACL tear to their cornerback one Jermod McCoy, who has been sidelined all season, has made it hard for them to find their identity on defense. This has let them down in big moments this season, like against Georgia when the Dawgs converted a 4th & 6 with two minutes left, sending it to overtime.

The biggest positive for the defense has been its front four and its takeaways. They have forced 13 fumbles and have 27 sacks this season. Joshua Josephs leads the defensive line with three forced fumbles and four sacks. In the secondary, sophomore Boo Carter has three forced fumbles of his own.

The Aerial Assault by Tennessee

Joey Aguilar is currently fourth in the nation in passing yards with 2,344 yards. With the help of the trio of Chris Brazzell Jr. (740), Braylon Staley (628), and Mike Mathews (562), Tennessee is one of the most dynamic passing offenses in the country. The three of them have combined for 14 touchdowns and 1,930 receiving yards, helping the Vols land at third in the nation for passing yards per game with 321. To stop Tennessee’s pass game, Oklahoma has to create takeaways. If the Sooners don’t force an interception, then it will be a long game for the Oklahoma secondary.

Key Players

DeSean Bishop, RB, Tennessee

Behind starter Dylan Sampson, Bishop came off the bench and put up 65 yards against the Sooners last year in Norman. This year, he is the starting running back as he has already run for 652 yards and nine rushing touchdowns, which is 13th in rushing touchdowns. If Bishop can produce the same productivity on even more snaps, the Vols running back will see himself in the checkered board end zone multiple times.

Taylor Wein, DL, Oklahoma

Wein has been a disruptor this season behind the line of scrimmage as he has 3.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss, putting him at 12th for tackles for loss per game. Wein is one of the few guys on the team with an interception. His contributions, along with fellow defensive linemen R. Mason Thomas, have made Oklahoma into one of the best defenses in the nation.

The sixth meeting between the Sooners and Volunteers holds playoff implications, as a loss to either one of them will knock them out of hearing their name on selection day. They last played in Knoxville in 2015, where the Sooners went on to win 31-24 in double overtime. This matchup is one of three top-25 matches for Saturday.

How To Watch Oklahoma at Tennessee

Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 1; Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
TV: ABC