No. 1 Texas travels into Neyland Stadium Saturday for its SEC opener against No. 14 Tennessee, and this will be the first real road test for a Longhorn team carrying national championship expectations.
Both teams are undefeated at 3-0, but they arrive here from two very different directions.
Texas owns the best win of the young season after coming from 20 points down to beat Ohio State, 24-23. The Longhorns followed that emotional win with a 30-6 victory over UTSA, but they have not always looked like the best team in the country.
Tennessee has taken care of its business behind true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. He has shown poise, athletic ability and enough arm talent to make Josh Heupel’s offense dangerous. But playing Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State is entirely different from facing the defensive front Texas will bring into Knoxville.
This is where the season gets real for both teams.
ARCH MANNING AGAINST NEYLAND STADIUM
All eyes will naturally be on Arch Manning.
He has already handled pressure this season, leading Texas back against Ohio State, but Neyland Stadium presents a different kind of challenge. The noise affects communication, protection calls and timing. That becomes especially important if Texas continues struggling to create consistency in its running game.
Steve Sarkisian cannot ask Manning to throw Texas out of trouble for four quarters. The Longhorns must establish something between the tackles, remain ahead of the chains and prevent Tennessee from turning this into a track meet.
Manning does not need to play like a Heisman Trophy winner Saturday. He needs to manage the offense, protect the football and take his shots when Tennessee’s secondary gives him the opportunity.
TEXAS HAS TO PRESSURE THE FRESHMAN
Brandon has been impressive, but Texas must make him play like a freshman.
That means changing the picture after the snap, collapsing the pocket and forcing him to make decisions before he is comfortable. Colin Simmons could become the most important defensive player on the field. If Tennessee has to devote extra protection to him, it changes what Heupel can do with his formations and route combinations.
Tennessee has also lost starting tight end Ethan Davis for the season. That is significant because the Volunteers have leaned more heavily on multiple-tight-end formations and a more physical running attack. The younger tight ends must now help protect Brandon while also creating enough of a receiving threat to keep Texas honest.
If Texas consistently pressures Brandon without blitzing, Tennessee will have problems.
THE TENNESSEE RUNNING GAME
Tennessee cannot put this game entirely on its freshman quarterback.
DeSean Bishop and the Volunteers’ offensive line must generate enough production on the ground to keep Texas from attacking on every down. Texas held Ohio State to 94 rushing yards, so Tennessee will be trying to move one of the most talented defensive fronts in the country.
The Volunteers do not necessarily need 200 rushing yards. They need enough four- and five-yard runs to create manageable third downs and keep Texas from controlling the game with its pass rush.
If Tennessee becomes one-dimensional, Texas will take over defensively.
THE MATCHUP THAT COULD DECIDE IT
Texas’ offensive line against Tennessee’s defensive front may determine everything.
The Longhorns have explosive receivers in Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, and Manning can make every throw. But those weapons only matter if Texas protects him long enough for the routes to develop.
Tennessee must create pressure without constantly bringing extra defenders. If the Volunteers are forced to blitz, Sarkisian will find matchups in the secondary and eventually punish them.
On the other side, Tennessee wants to use tempo to prevent Texas from substituting and force the Longhorn defense to communicate quickly. Texas cannot allow one busted assignment to become a 60-yard touchdown.
JB’S KEYS TO THE GAME
For Texas:
- Establish the running game early.
- Protect Manning from obvious passing situations.
- Pressure Brandon without depending on the blitz.
- Eliminate explosive plays created by Tennessee’s tempo.
- Survive the opening emotion inside Neyland Stadium.
For Tennessee:
- Get Brandon comfortable with easy throws.
- Stay committed to Bishop and the running game.
- Create pressure up the middle against Manning.
- Force Texas to settle for field goals.
- Make this a fourth-quarter game and let the crowd become a factor.
JB’S TAKE
Texas is the better and deeper football team, but this is not a comfortable matchup.
The Longhorns have experienced slow starts, and that is dangerous inside Neyland Stadium. If Tennessee scores first and forces Texas to chase the game, the pressure on Manning will grow with every possession.
But Texas has already demonstrated that it can survive adversity. The Longhorns went down 20 points against Ohio State and did not panic. That experience matters when you walk into one of the loudest stadiums in college football.
Tennessee will land some punches. Brandon will make some plays, and Heupel’s tempo will create problems. But over four quarters, I trust Texas’ defensive front and overall talent more than I trust a true freshman quarterback facing his first elite SEC defense.
Tennessee keeps it close into the fourth quarter, but Manning makes the throws Texas needs to escape Knoxville.
JB’S PREDICTION
Texas 31
Tennessee 24
