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Tennessee football vs. Purdue: 10 keys to the Music City Bowl game

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 14, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; View of Nissan Stadium before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; View of Nissan Stadium before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Purdue Boilermakers head coach Jeff Brohm talks to players on the sideline during the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. Ohio State won 59-31.Purdue Boilermakers At Ohio State Buckeyes Football
Purdue Boilermakers head coach Jeff Brohm talks to players on the sideline during the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. Ohio State won 59-31.Purdue Boilermakers At Ohio State Buckeyes Football /

2. Will Purdue establish any balance?

We know that Purdue poses a mismatch to Tennessee football with their ability to throw the ball all over the field and the Vols’ weaknesses on defense. However, balance is what has truly torched the Vols, and teams that have it are their weakness.

Every team that beat UT this year averaged at least 147 yards on the ground. Purdue, meanwhile, averages 84.3 yards on the ground, and they average fewer than three yards a carry. There is no efficiency here whatsoever, and it’s not even skewed by them allowing a disproportionate amount of sacks. UT allows way more. They just can’t run the ball.

Simply put, Purdue easily has the worst running game of almost any team to face Rocky Top. One of the biggest issues facing the Vols’ defense all year has been stopping even semi-mobile quarterbacks from torching them on the ground. Well, Aidan O’Connell not even semi-mobile. He’s no threat with his legs.

That will make it very tricky for the Boilermakers to establish any kind of balance. Most of the reason the Vols give up lots of points is because they score a lot. If Purdue can’t just keep them somewhat honest, they’ll dictate the tempo, and that could turn this game ugly.

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