Tennessee heads into their Week 4 clash with Oklahoma boasting one of the most explosive offenses in college football. The Sooners, in their first SEC season, face the Vols in what marks their first SEC in-conference game.
Both teams are 3-0, ranked in the top 15, and have their sights set on an SEC title and a College Football Playoff berth. Who has the advantage in our Tennessee vs. Oklahoma prediction?
Tennessee vs. Oklahoma Betting Preview
All Tennessee vs. Oklahoma odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, September 21, 2024.
- Spread
Tennessee -7 - Moneyline
Tennessee -270, Oklahoma +220 - Over/Under
56.5 - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium | Norman, Okla. - Predicted Weather at Kick
88 degrees, Partly Cloudy - How to Watch
ABC
This battle of top-15 teams opened with Tennessee as a +3.5-point underdog. But Tennessee has stormed through the early part of its schedule, including a 51-10 defeat of NC State in a top-25 matchup, and now, the Volunteers are favored by more than a touchdown.
The total opened at 61.5 and has slowly come down to 58.5, which is surprising as Tennessee has scored 122 points combined in its last two games.
Prediction for Tennessee vs. Oklahoma
Tennessee freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava has not had to play a full game in 2024.
Iamaleava led the Volunteers on seven consecutive scoring drives to open their Week 3 win over Kent State, helping Tennessee set a school record by scoring 37 points in the first quarter. He exited in the second quarter with the Vols up 51-0.
The question in this one comes down to Iamaleava and his response to his first experience playing on an opponent’s field in an SEC conference game. Yes, it is Oklahoma’s first SEC game, but that is all the more reason the crowd will be fired up for this one.
Iamaleava did play NC State on a neutral field in their home state, which was mostly Wolfpack fans, but this will be an entirely different atmosphere on Saturday.
Through three games this season, Iamaleava has completed 72% of his passes for 698 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions. He hasn’t played a full game yet, as Tennessee’s dominant performances have led to early blowouts, so those numbers don’t fully reflect how excellent he has been.
While the Tennessee offense deserves a lot of credit, the defense may get the Vols to the College Football Playoff. In three games, the Tennessee defense has yet to surrender a touchdown, and it’s fresh off pitching a shutout against Kent State.
Conversely, Oklahoma has had some worrisome moments for an undefeated team. Following a Week 1 blowout of Temple, Oklahoma had to survive against Houston as four-touchdown favorites. In that game, the Oklahoma offense was held scoreless in the second half as Oklahoma escaped 16-12.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Against a solid Tulane squad, Oklahoma was held to one second-half touchdown but relied on 21 first-half points to secure a 34-19 victory.
Iamaleava may struggle early in Norman, but defense travels, and this Tennessee defense is built to give a less-than-stellar Sooners offense fits.
While Oklahoma is clearly the best team Tennessee has seen in 2024, I am buying what I have seen from the Vols. They go into a hostile environment led by a freshman quarterback and emerge as not only SEC title contenders but national championship contenders as well.
The Prediction: Tennessee 41, Oklahoma 24
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