College Football Picks: Texas vs Tennessee Best Bets
Texas and Tennessee don't have much of a history, having faced off just three times. All three matchups came in the Cotton Bowl, with the most recent matchup being in 1968, when Texas took down Tennessee 36-13. In the first regular-season affair between these two storied programs, we will see a veteran and pre-season Heisman frontrunner Arch Manning face off against true freshman, five-star recruit Faizon Brandon. While much of the story between these teams will be centered around the two quarterbacks, both teams have been kept afloat by other areas of the team.
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Texas vs Tennessee Betting Odds for Week 4
Spread: Texas -4.5 (BetMGM); Tennessee +4.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Texas -197 (Caesars Sportsbook); Tennessee +175 (Hard Rock Bet)
Total: Over 54.5 (BetRivers); Under 54.5 (Circa Sportsbook)
This game line has moved quite a bit, opening at Texas -6.5 and pushing all the way down to Texas -4 at its lowest. With a little less movement on Friday morning, some subtle fluctuations back and forth between -4.5 and -5, this line seems to have settled in right at -4.5. With 65% of the early bets coming in on Texas and the line driving down, it seems to show that much of the sharp money is going the other way on Tennessee.
Texas vs Tennessee Betting Picks for Week 4
Both teams come into this matchup undefeated; however, it has been Texas that is a bit more battle-tested, having knocked off the previous #1 in the country, Ohio State. Tennessee, on the other hand, seemingly hasn't been tested just yet, with their three wins coming over Furman, Kennesaw State, and Georgia Tech, who many thought would be a nice test early in the year, but it is turning out that they aren't quite as good as was initially thought.
For Texas, much of their high performance to this point has been held down by the second-best defense in the SEC. The Longhorns are currently allowing 12.0 points per game, though they have struggled a bit in the yardage department. The Texas defense is led by edge rusher Colin Simmons, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the draft, while behind him sit linebacker Rasheem Biles and safety Jelani McDonald. Biles currently leads the team with two interceptions this year and is second only to McDonald with 17 tackles, while McDonald has racked up 18. Despite allowing 109 rushing yards per game, the Longhorns have a formidable front anchored by the previously mentioned standouts and held a good Ohio State offense to just 94 rushing yards while keeping standout running back Bo Jackson in check for most of the game.
Tennessee, on the other hand, has statistically been a bit more well-rounded of a team. Now, this might be because of the inferior competition they have been playing, but there surely is talent in a lot of places for the Volunteers. The Vols currently rank first in the SEC in rushing with 298.7 yards per game; surely some of that is due to poor opponents, but much can also be attributed to running back DeSean Bishop. The junior running back a year ago finished the season 29th in the nation in rushing yards with 1,076. Alongside him is sophomore running back Daune Morris, who has seen a good amount of work in the blowouts and is averaging 8.1 yards per carry so far this year. Tennessee has been no slouch defensively either, as they currently sit at fourth in the SEC, allowing just 14 points per game. They are also anchored by a strong defensive front that currently ranks second in the SEC with 13 sacks this year.
Texas vs Tennessee Expert Pick: Texas -4.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
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Texas vs Tennessee Predictions for Week 4
Neyland Stadium certainly can be a difficult place to play, and I think it might lend itself to a bit of a wonky start in this one. The crowd and the environment might help the young quarterback in Brandon early and make things a bit difficult for the Texas offense. However, much of this Texas team has been here before; they've been in difficult situations on the road and behind against tough opponents. Do I fully trust Arch Manning? No, but Texas overall has the better team. Brandon is young and inexperienced and has yet to face the caliber of team that will line up across from him on Saturday. While Tennessee might get the momentum early, Texas pulls away late, 24-17. I also lean toward the under in this one, as you can tell, but I am a bit hesitant because of this game being played in Neyland.
Texas vs Tennessee Player Props for Saturday, September 26th
DeSean Bishop, RB, Tennessee: Over 74.5 Rushing Yards (FanDuel)
Bishop hasn't seen much action as the Vols have limited his touches a bit against some of the lesser opponents. However, against Georgia Tech, he was certainly the lion's share with 20 carries. Bishop will likely get the high end of the split here again, and if he does, I can see him hitting this mark.
Faizon Brandon, QB, Tennessee: Under 209.5 Passing Yards
Brandon hasn't looked all too impressive so far to start the season, with just one game over 200 yards coming in the opener against Furman. Against Georgia Tech, Brandon completed just 10-of-21 passes for 148 yards. Texas has a better defense than anything he has seen to this point; I don't see him eclipsing 200 yards in this one.
