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Tennessee football: Vols, SEC and top 25 picks and bets for Week 0 and Week 1 of 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

The Tennessee football team runs through the T during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football
The Tennessee football team runs through the T during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football /
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LITTLE ROCK, AR – NOVEMBER 29: Overall view of Warm Memorial Stadium before the Arkansas Razorbacks versus the Missouri Tigers at War Memorial Stadium on November 29, 2019 in Little Rock, Arkansas (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
LITTLE ROCK, AR – NOVEMBER 29: Overall view of Warm Memorial Stadium before the Arkansas Razorbacks versus the Missouri Tigers at War Memorial Stadium on November 29, 2019 in Little Rock, Arkansas (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

844. Razorback Stadium; Fayetteville, Ark.. 3:30 p.m. ET. 0. 830. ESPN. Saturday, Sept. 3. 0

Gambling odds

  • Line: Arkansas -6.5
  • Over/Under: 52
  • Moneyline: Arkansas -240; Cincinnati +195

Here’s another epic top 25 matchup involving an SEC team. Sam Pittman’s Arkansas Razorbacks got into the top 10 with a 4-0 start before losing three straight. Still, they finished 9-4, only losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide the rest of the way. Pittman was the type of hire Tennessee football had hoped Jeremy Pruitt would be.

Anyway, the Hogs, ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 23 in the Coaches Poll, now open the season against the first Group of Five team to make the College Football Playoff. Luke Fickell’s Cincinnati Bearcats, ranked No. 23 in the AP Poll and No. 22 in the Coaches Poll, is looking for an encore. Beating an SEC team to start the season would do that.

Neither team is a College Football Playoff team this year, but both could do some real damage, and Cincy should once again be the favorite to win the American Athletic Conference. They want to prove they are a program, and Arkansas wants to prove it’s still on the come-up.

Prediction

Outright, take the over. Arkansas’s defense has issues up front, and Cincinnati’s losses on offense are overrated. They return most starters. On the other side, Cincinnati lost a ton of talent on defense, including five NFL Draft picks, and although they lost Treylon Burks, the Hogs return tons of offensive talent, most notably quarterback K.J. Jefferson.

Since Arkansas lost a lot less talent and plays this game at home, they’ll win this one in a much higher scoring affair than people think. They’ll also cover the spread, pulling away late with some great offensive coaching by Kendal Briles to actually win by two scores.

Arkansas: 38 Cincinnati: 28 (Arkansas -6.5; Over 52)

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