National college football writer Matt Hayes looks at the top 5 storylines in the Weekend Primer.

Let’s not confuse the issue. This moment is as big as it gets for the Tennessee program over the last 2 decades.

There are potentially bigger games down the road, prove-it statements for an emerging Vols program against Georgia and Alabama.

But neither is a bigger moment — with more impact on the season — than Saturday’s prove-it game against longtime nemesis Florida.

The 3:30 p.m. ET spot on CBS national network television. A record crowd at Neyland Stadium. A morning full of hype and hysteria with ESPN’s College GameDay making an appearance for the 1st time since 2016.

Anything short of beating Florida for the 1st time since that 2016 season and only the 2nd time in 16 years — as a double-digit favorite — is an epic disappointment.

“It’s going to be important for us all, the 11 guys on the field and everybody on the sidelines, to be able to compete and have the right frame of mind for 60 minutes,” said Tennessee coach Josh Heupel.

The heck with that. Get on the field and get payback.

Run out of the T and point to the Gators and make it clear that it’s not ending until all of those demons of the past 2 decades are exorcised.

Like Franks to Cleveland. Or Grier to Calloway. Or Leak to Baker.

Or for the love of all things Big Orange, Palmer to Gaffney.

Make it matter. Make it big. Make it happen.

Emotion and motivation is huge in college sports, so why stifle it? Feed off it, get a quick score, get a defensive stop or a turnover and score again.

Then run on Florida like Utah (230 yards) and USF (286 yards) — South Florida! — have this season, and take away the Gators’ will to win. The greatest misrepresentation of the Heupel Blur Ball offense: it’s pass-oriented.

It’s actually the exact opposite.

When Heupel’s offense is clicking, the Vols are running downhill and setting up play-action throws to the 2nd level. Tennessee ran for more than 2,700 yards last season.

This is the week the running game makes an impact again. From the 1st series until the last — and puts the Vols in position for much more this season.

Between the ears

Years ago, I asked Steve Spurrier if there were 1 quarterback trait over all others.

“I want a quarterback who can get to the line of scrimmage, look at the defense, and know we’re in a bad play,” Spurrier said. “Then get us in the right play.”

Welcome to the world of J.J. McCarthy.

One of the reasons McCarthy — by far the most talented quarterback on the Michigan roster last year — couldn’t win the job in 2021 before easily winning it this fall, was his inability to consistently see the wrong play and check into the right play.

By the end of last season, he had a better grasp of the offense. But at that point, Cade McNamara was in the middle of leading Michigan to a win over Ohio State, the Big Ten title and a spot in the Playoff. He was entrenched as the starter.

Then the Playoff semifinal happened, and it didn’t take long to see who was the best quarterback on the Michigan roster. But by the time McCarthy got in the game in the 2nd half, it was over.

Fast forward to Saturday, and the first Big Ten start for McCarthy, at home against unbeaten Maryland. The Terps aren’t as limited as Hawaii and UConn and will at least put up some resistance.

Watch McCarthy. Watch him check at the line of scrimmage, and watch him continue to develop in the offense.

More than anything, watch the ridiculous dual-threat talent. He’s the real deal — and so is Michigan.

Protection is everything

Lost amid the season-saving win over Miami last week was Texas A&M’s inability to protect QB Max Johnson.

Now we know why Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher went with QB Haynes King — and his ability to extend plays — over the first 2 games of the season. But it’s all Johnson now.

At this point, it’s about protecting Johnson long enough so he can get the ball to wide receivers on the 2nd level. Aggies wide receivers caught 5 passes against Miami.

Five.

Ainias Smith had 4, Chase Lane had 1, and TE Donovan Green had 1. The Aggies played without suspended freshman 5-star WR Evan Stewart, and Johnson completed 10 of 20 passes.

Johnson was sacked 3 times and pressured 11, and the passing game never got into a rhythm — with the exception of a scoring drive in the 3rd quarter.

Arkansas, meanwhile, leads the nation in sacks (17), and Alabama transfer OLB Drew Sanders is No. 2 in the nation in sacks (5).

“Hopefully Max can continue to grow and we can grow around him and keep playing better,” Fisher said. “Because there’s still some plays out there that he really was making where we’ve got to do a little better around him.”

Big Red interest

The idea that Iowa State and Baylor are playing a meaningful Big 12 game in September, and Nebraska is looking for a coach, can’t sit well with the loyal Nebraska faithful.

But watch this game because these teams — and more specifically, their coaches — are no doubt intriguing to Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts. Two young, dynamic and charismatic coaches who are real in their message and approach — and overachieving with programs that have much less to give than Nebraska.

Dave Aranda is 45, and he won a Big 12 championship last year in his 2nd season at Baylor. Scott Frost was 5-7 in his 2nd season at Nebraska, including 5 losses in the last 6 games.

Matt Campbell is 42, and in the ridiculously challenging world of Iowa State football, he has the highest winning percentage in school history (.570) and has led the Cyclones to 5 straight bowl games (the Fiesta in 2020 was the first major bowl in school history).

The Huskers have missed the last 5 postseasons.

If all of that isn’t intriguing enough for the best fans in college football, look at what Campbell said after last week’s laugher over Ohio.

“I feel from a physicality standpoint, from an attitude and effort standpoint, some things that we say are the cornerstones of where we want to be, I really like where we are at,” Campbell said.

Or what Aranda said about his team dealing with high expectations: “A player is not going to prove he belongs by perfection and doing everything right. You don’t play football by paint by numbers. Just be you and let go of the stuff you’re carrying. I think that’s a general thing, but for each dude, it’s way specific. You have to see where guys are at and meet them there and work it out at that level.”

Those 2 dudes, Nebraska, are football coaches.

Young and prolific in Chapel Hill

Three years ago, North Carolina coach Mack Brown landed Sam Howell, the No. 3 high school QB recruit in the nation, and started him Day 1.

The Tar Heels also knew what they had when Howell had 6 TDs and 0 INTs in wins over South Carolina and Miami and a loss to Wake Forest.

Last year, Brown landed Drake Maye, the No. 9 high school QB recruit, and Maye redshirted last season. Three games into this season, they’re not sure what they have.

It looks good — but let’s see how it works Saturday against Notre Dame and the first heavy lift of the season.

After 3 games this season against Florida A&M, Appalachian State and Georgia State, Maye has thrown for 930 yards, has 11 TDs and 1 INT, and has completed 74 percent of his passes. He’s on pace for 44 TDs.

Notre Dame has a top-35 pass defense, and opposing quarterbacks are averaging only 6 yards per attempt. Ohio State All-American CJ Stroud threw for 223 yards against the Irish.

More telling: In games against Toledo and Arkansas State, Stroud is averaging a whopping 14.2 yards per attempt. Against Notre Dame, he was at 6.6.