TENNESSEE (2-1) vs. MASSACHUSETTS (0-4)
Noon * Neyland Stadium in Knoxville * SEC Network & 106.5 FM
THE MATCHUP
This game should provide a nice confidence boost for Tennessee's defensive line. Massachusetts is allowing a national-worst 5.75 sacks per game. Despite bleak pass protection, throwing the football is the strength of the Minutemen offense. Quarterback Andrew Ford is averaging 301 yards passing and has tossed six touchdowns with just one interception this season. "He's an NFL prospect and it shows," Tennessee coach Butch Jones said this week. Ford's top target is tight end Adam Breneman, a Penn State transfer who has 369 yards on 24 catches this year. The UMass defense has allowed opponents to have big games passing (391 yards against Hawaii in week one) and running (345 yards against Coastal Carolina the next week). Tennessee and UMass have never met, and the Vols would like to begin the series without the drama the Minutemen provided Florida and South Carolina last season when they played both those teams close on the road.
ONES TO WATCH
Tennessee needs to use this game to get its young receivers on the same page with quarterback Quinten Dormady. While Jones would like to get redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Guarantano some playing time, too, the most pressing need for the offense heading into SEC play is for the receivers to gain confidence. Sophomore Brandon Johnson, sophomore Tyler Byrd, sophomore Marquez Callaway and freshman Josh Palmer have all shown promise. They also need to start showing consistency if Tennessee's passing game is going to be a serious threat in SEC play. How will Dormady handle their miscues today? As Guarantano continues to challenge for snaps, Dormady's patience, maturity and leadership figure to play a role in how the receivers continue to develop. Jones said this week the offense needs to get Byrd more involved after he did not have a reception against Florida.
IN THE END
Jones was not totally blowing smoke this week when he said UMass's 0-4 record is "no indication of how good they are." The Minutemen are better than the Indiana State team that Tennessee beat 42-7 in week two, and all four of their losses have been close games. But they're not necessarily good, either. Tennessee should put this one out of reach in the third quarter. If the Vols come out lethargic for the noon kickoff in front of a stadium that figures to have plenty of empty seats, UMass has enough offensive potency to keep it close. But their defense is no match for Tennessee's run game and really shouldn't be a good match for the Vols' passing game. This is a good recovery game for the Vols - a perfect opportunity to nurse the wounds of the Florida loss and get things back on the rails before welcoming Georgia to Knoxville next week.
PREDICTION: Tennessee 45, UMass 21