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Tennessee football: Game by game predictions for Vols 2018 season

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 20: A general view of Neyland Stadium before the start of the Florida Gators versus Tennessee Volunteers on September 20, 2008 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 20: A general view of Neyland Stadium before the start of the Florida Gators versus Tennessee Volunteers on September 20, 2008 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

Game 1: Tennessee Volunteers vs. West Virginia Mountaineers

Saturday, Sept. 1; Bank of America Stadium; Charlotte, N.C.

Caleb Calhoun

Things are looking up a bit to many Tennessee football fans with this game. After all, Dana Holgorsen has spent the offseason complaining about the advantages the Vols have, and there have been a few injuries. It won’t matter.

This game will come down to the Vols being able to stop Will Grier. That’s not happening at any point. WVU will torch a UT secondary that struggled in the spring and is having to deal with the transition to a 3-4. Jeremy Pruitt’s team will put up points, but it won’t be enough. West Virginia wins a shootout.

Winner: West Virginia (0-1, 0-0)

Billy Williford

I want so bad to chalk this game down as a win for the Vols. However, I don’t want to be a homer. If this game happened to fall later in the season, I would give Tennessee football a better chance to win.

Will Grier should have a good game against a weak secondary. However, if the Vols running game is hitting on all cylinders and the defense can turn Grier over, it could mean a Vols win. But, for now, I’m going West Virginia.

Winner: West Virginia (0-1, 0-0)

Garrett Sanders

This game will be an offensive shootout. West Virginia has a great offense lead by their quarterback Will Grier, who has a cannon for an arm and weapons all around him to play with. Tennessee football’s secondary was below average in the Spring. Heading into their first game, West Virginia will be a real test to see if any progress has been made.

The Vols will have plenty of offense going their way in this game as well. But with neither Keller Chryst nor Jarrett Guarantano pulling away from one another, it will be rough. Chryst and Guarantano have different styles of play, and things will be problematic if Jeremy Pruitt puts both of them out there. In the end, Tennessee will put up points, just not enough to pull away.

Winner: West Virginia (0-1, 0-0)

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