For the second straight week, Tennessee hosts a strong football program from a non-Power 5 conference. And for a second straight week, the Volunteers are looking to prove they’re more than up to the task. On Saturday Arkansas State will take its turn at knocking off the Volunteers in Knoxville, and the Red Wolves will hope for a better showing than the 38-7 thrashing Tennessee administered to Utah State
How to watch Arkansas State vs. Tennessee: Preview, TV/streaming, odds
Is Tennessee ready to compete in 2014? We’ll have more clues after Saturday.
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Despite losing its head coach to better-financed programs the last three seasons, Arkansas State has remained one of the better programs in the Sun Belt. Though the Volunteers are three-score home favorites, the Red Wolves are good enough to make a game of it if they catch a few breaks.
How to witness
TV: Noon ET, SEC Network.*
* Or SEC Network alternate channel (it should be within one channel of SEC Network, depending on your provider). Check ESPN3.com and WatchESPN, if it’s not showing. Many people looking for this game on DirecTV appear to be having difficulties.
Radio: Find Tennessee’s radio affiliates here and Arkansas State’s right here.
Online streaming: ESPN3
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The numbers
Rankings and records: Both teams enter this contest 1-0 and unranked.
Vegas: Tennessee is favored by 17 points. The over/under is 58.
Weather forecast: The temperature will be around 80 at kickoff with a chance of scattered thunderstorms as the day wears on.
Three names to know
A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee. Johnson is without a doubt the Volunteers' biggest playmaker on defense. The All-American tallied 106 tackles as a junior and is the only player in Tennessee's front seven with meaningful experience. If the Volunteers are going to slow down Arkansas State's running game, Johnson will need to have a big game. He usually does.
Justin Worley, QB, Tennessee. Justin Worley is not the flashiest player on the Volunteers' offense -- far from it. Tennessee's senior quarterback is at his best when he's distributing the ball to UT's blue chip skill position players, and he did that with aplomb in week one, throwing for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Pig Howard, Marquez North, and Jalen Hurd may be bigger names, but Worley has to be on his game to make this offense go.
Fredi Knighten, QB, Arkansas State. The Red Wolves' junior quarterback can do damage with both his arms and his legs. In his first year taking over for departed senior Adam Kennedy, Knighten is a bit raw as a passer. He didn't look it in the season opener against Montana State, but Tennessee is not Montana State. Led by cornerback Cameron Sutton, the secondary is the best unit on the Volunteers' defense.
Two things at stake
Arkansas State has nothing to lose. A win would be a nice feather in the cap of Blake Anderson in his first year at the helm, but no one is expecting the Red Wolves to come away from Knoxville with a win.
Tennessee wants to prove that last week wasn’t a fluke. The Vols’ domination of Utah State was impressive enough to hint at the possibility that UT might be ready to make some noise in the SEC East a year or two earlier than expected. Repeating that performance against Arkansas State could turn that hint into a distinct possibility.
Further reading
For analysis of the Tennessee Volunteers, visit Rocky Top Talk. For coverage of non-Power 5 football programs, visit Underdog Dynasty.
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