SEC Kickoff: Everything you need to know about Tennessee vs Oklahoma

Here’s everything you need to know about Tennessee’s road debut against Oklahoma tonight on ABC.

When: Tonight
Where: Norman, O.K.
Game Time: 8 PM ET
TV: ABC

Current Line: Oklahoma by 20.5

Game Buzz: Tennessee is coming off blowout wins against Utah State and Arkansas State to open the season at 2-0. The Vols have outscored their opponents 72-26 and looked impressive on both sides of the football. Coming off a 5-7 season, Tennessee is looking to prove that its much farther along its rebuilding process than most expected. Marquez North has picked up from where he left off after a breakout freshman year, while Jalen Hurd looks to have his own stellar debut season. In Week 3, the Vols face No. 4 Oklahoma, a team that looks to contend for the national championship. The Sooners are led by star quarterback Trevor Knight, playmaking wideout Sterling Shepard and elite pass rusher Eric Striker. Oklahoma looks complete on both sides of the football and has a great advantage over Tennessee in experience.

TENNESSEE

Players to watch: 

• QB Justin Worley
• RB Marlin Lane
• WR Marquez North
• WR Josh Smith
• LB A.J. Johnson
• LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
• CB/RET Cam Sutton

Freshmen to watch:

• RB Jalen Hurd
• WR Josh Malone
• TE Ethan Wolf (Questionable)
• DE Derek Barnett
• SS Todd Kelly Jr.

Keys for Tennessee:

• Strong play from Marquez North. Marquez North enjoyed a breakout performance against Arkansas State that saw two touchdowns and plenty of highlight plays. Facing Freshman All-American Zack Sanchez, North will need to prove why he’s received such preseason acclaim with a big game on the national stage. North is the main option in Tennessee’s offense and will be heavily relied upon against one of the nation’s top defenses.
• Hurd must continue progression. Jalen Hurd has seen the majority of carries from Tennessee’s backfield through two games. After splitting touches evenly with senior Marlin Lane in Week 1, Hurd was given 23 carries in Week 2 and rushed his way to SEC Freshman of the Week honors. The freshman will need to play his best football against a dangerous Oklahoma front seven that is perfectly capable of rushing the edge.
• A.J. Johnson must contain Trevor Knight. Tennessee’s linebackers fared well against dual-threat quarterbacks in their first two games. However, neither player is as talented as Oklahoma’s Trevor Knight, a top-tier QB with plenty of options at wide receiver. The Vols’ senior leader A.J. Johnson must have another strong performance against a quarterback perfectly capable of defeating Tennessee through the air and on the ground.
• Justin Worley must prove strong start is legitimate: Justin Worley is off to the best start of his career. Through two games, Worley has looked like an experienced senior quarterback, despite entering the season facing doubt. Worley has plenty of options at wide receiver if given time in the pocket behind an inexperienced offensive line.

Tennessee’s glaring weakness to watch: Oklahoma has the advantage in both size and experience in the trenches. Tennessee was the only team in the country to return zero starters on the line on both sides of the football. The Sooners have one of the nation’s best front sevens, as well as a massive offensive line with prior experience.

Most interesting part of the game: The matchup will ultimately be a litmus test for where Tennessee is in its rebuilding process. The Vols look to prove that their two wins are the product of improved talent and not just a week schedule.

OKLAHOMA

Players to watch:

• QB Trevor Knight
• RB Keith Ford
• RB Alex Ross
• WR Sterling Shepard
• DE Charles Tapper
• LB Eric Striker
• CB Zack Sanchez

Keys for Oklahoma:

• Trevor Knight must exploit young defense. Trevor Knight looks to continue his impressive start to the 2014 season. Facing a young, inexperienced Tennessee line, the sophomore should be able to exploit the mismatch.
• Advantage in the trenches. As mentioned earlier, Oklahoma has size and experience on both sides of the line. Adding to the disadvantage, Tennessee is without starting offensive tackle Jacob Gilliam, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 1 and will miss the remainder of the season.
• Sterling being Sterling. Sterling Shepard has played like one of the best wide receivers in the nation. Following a 2013 season with plenty of quarterback turmoil, Shepard has exploded out of the gate with Knight settled into the starting job.
• Zack Sanchez, DBs must stop Marquez North. Tennessee’s best chance of an upset involves a big performance from Marquez North. Oklahoma’s best chance to stop North is standout cornerback Zack Sanchez. Sanchez is the brightest spot of a talented pass defense that could give the sophomore wideout fits.

Most interesting part of the game: Will Mark “Mr. Anti-SEC” Stoops move ahead to 6-5 against the SEC for his head coaching career? Stoops has been vocal of his displeasure for the SEC’s perceived dominance by the college football media. With another victory, Stoops will likely be even more vocal moving forward.

Team Buzz: Oklahoma is complete on both sides of the football. Knight and Shepard lead an impressive passing attack with 572 yards and three touchdowns. The Sooners’ running backs have combined for 444 yards, nine touchdowns and 6.25 yards per carry. Oklahoma is equally impressive on defense with a ferocious pass rush and coverage unit.

Key Matchup: Marquez North vs. Zack Sanchez. No. 1 wide receiver vs. No. 1 cornerback. The matchup features two athletic players coming off huge freshmen seasons that led to even larger expectations for 2014.

Jason Hall

A former freelance journalist from Nashville, Jason covers Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky