Two teams looking to avoid picking up their second conference loss will square off in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, as Tennessee will welcome Auburn for an afternoon clash.
ESPN’s Greg McElroy delved into his weekly picks on his “Always College Football” YouTube channel, and the Tigers and Volunteers were included in his matchup analysis.
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In the end, McElroy believes the home side will win somewhat of a defensive battle, emerging with a 27-17 victory that pushes UT to 4-1 on the season.
The former Alabama quarterback’s keys to the game revolve around both Auburn and Tennessee protecting their quarterbacks, the effectiveness of each team’s rushing attack and the pace of play.
“Heupel is 49-5 when his team wins the sack battle, and this is the week where I think they get it,” McElroy said. “I think Auburn will break some big runs…but the best pass rush going against an offense that has held the ball a lot is not a recipe I feel good about. Auburn will play fast, but Tennessee’s pass rush will play faster.”
The Volunteers and Tigers will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET, with the game being broadcast by ABC. These teams have not met in Knoxville since 2013, and they haven’t matched up at all since 2020.
Parker is currently the sports editor for Gulf Coast Media in Foley, Alabama. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
