Tennessee football: Game-by-game predictions for Vols 2019 season
Game Three
Chattanooga Mocs at Tennessee Volunteers
Saturday, Sept. 14; Neyland Stadium; Knoxville, Tenn.
Once a regular rivalry when the two teams were in the Southern Conference, Tennessee football is obviously in a completely different place from the Chattanooga Mocs at this point. And heading into this game, the teams will be in totally different places again.
Chattanooga is trying to find itself under first-year head coach Rusty Wright, as they are coming off a 6-5 season. Wright, ironically, has connections to Shawn Elliott’s staff, where he has worked for the past couple of years. As a Chattanooga grad, he is the perfect guy to lead the program into the future.
However, Jeremy Pruitt will be looking to prove that his team has taken a major leap in 2019. By the time this game arrives, we will see early indications as to whether or not it’s true thanks to the game against the BYU Cougars.
Regardless of what happens there, this is a trap game being between BYU and the Florida Gators. Could that be enough to derail the Vols in a horrifically bad upset loss? Or will it matter at all in the grand scheme of things.
Prediction
Ever since they began playing non-FBS opponents regularly this decade, the Vols have consistently blown them out. That happens regardless how bad they are, and it will happen again in this game. All the starters will be pulled by halftime, and Pruitt will use this game to see if he finally has a backup quarterback while UT dominates.
Tennessee: 58 Chattanooga: 0