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Tennessee football vs. Ball State: 10 keys to the game

By Caleb Calhoun

Oct 20, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Fans outside Neyland Stadium before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Fans outside Neyland Stadium before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee Herd Coach Josh Heupel at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue
Tennessee Herd Coach Josh Heupel at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue /

9. Looking ahead to next week

In addition to being perhaps too excited about kickoff, there is the issue of looking ahead. On paper, it seems like this would affect Tennessee football a lot more. After all, the Vols visit the Pittsburgh Panthers next week, their first Power Five game and what would be considered their first true test of the year.

When you consider the fact that Hendon Hooker took over last year at Pitt and the Vols lost by a touchdown, largely because of a couple of mistake Hooker made late, you have to think they’ll be looking ahead. That alone could cause them some problems if they aren’t careful.

A big stroke of good fortune for them, though, is that Ball State is as much in danger of looking ahead. They have their MAC opener for their second game, and it’s a division matchup against a Western Michigan Broncos team that went 8-5 last year.

Given the goals of Ball State, that game is much more crucial for everything they are trying to accomplish. As a result, the factor goes from questioning how much Tennessee football will look ahead of this week to questioning who is more likely to look ahead of this week, and that could turn out either way.

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