Phil Steele: Score prediction for Tennessee-Oklahoma

[golfballs]

Tennessee Volunteers at No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners (-20.5)

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC

This is the first-ever meeting in a regular-season game between these two teams, and only the third meeting overall between these two traditional powers. Their most recent meeting was in the 1968 Orange Bowl, a 26-24 Oklahoma win.

I ranked the Sooners No. 4 in my College Football Preview in May, but after talking with head coach Bob Stoops at length this summer, I came away thinking I may have underestimated this Sooners squad. OU has destroyed its first two opponents by a combined score of 100-23, and while quarterback Trevor Knight and the offense get most of the publicity, the Sooners defense held Louisiana Tech and Tulsa to a combined 573 yards. This is notable, considering that the Bulldogs and Golden Hurricane had 1,125 yards in their other two games.

While the Volunteers are coming off two double-digit wins over solid non-Power 5 conference teams (Utah State and Arkansas State), their youth at the line of scrimmage (zero returning starters) has showed, as they are averaging just 3.3 yards per carry on offense while allowing 3.9 on defense. That pales in comparison to OU's 6.3 yards per carry average on offense while allowing just 2.3 on defense.

Many of these Volunteers youngsters will be making the first road start of their college careers in a place where the home team is an incredible 88-5 SU since 2000. Stoops has made his feelings about the SEC clear numerous times, and this is a chance for him and his team to make another statement.

Pick: Oklahoma 41, Tennessee 17

Picks for Georgia-South Carolina, other big Week 3 games - College Football - ESPN

 

[Eddie Vol Halen]

Boo, Phil Steele! Boo this man.

 

[ntxVOL]

Hmm, he talked to Stoops, do you reckon he talked to CBJ also?

 

[ballou1024]

Just wait and see!

 

[Biopsyman]

Spot on... except TN has 41

 

[RikidyBones]

Picks for Georgia-South Carolina, other big Week 3 games - College Football - ESPN

Just curious, did he call the BYU win last week?

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

Well, I tried to defend u steel. I stuck up for you for all the times you put the vols on the cover. That's over now. You just made my "hates UT" list.

 

[KBVol]

Picks for Georgia-South Carolina, other big Week 3 games - College Football - ESPN

Looks about right. I doubt we score more than 17, but I could see our defense holding them under 41, maybe 31-37 pts. Either way, I think his predicted score is pretty close.

 

[vol-un-tear]

I wish Leonard postero was still around. Always loved Leonard's Losers...Oklahoma!!!

 

[rocknrick]

**** Phil.

 

[jayski]

Phil Steele is an OK prognosticator (handicapper), but if you follow his advice all year you would probably break even. This game is very important for the young VOLS. Win, loose or draw they must fight to the end. Take it from a veteran, when you see the guy next to you fighting his tail off it inspires you regardless of the outcome.

 

[fade route]

A man that has devoted his life and income to predicting college football scores agrees with the realists on VN......but hey, we're just negavols.

 

[theutvolunteers]

A man that has devoted his life and income to predicting college football scores agrees with the realists on VN......but hey, we're just negavols.

 

[volgrad500]

Well, I tried to defend u steel. I stuck up for you for all the times you put the vols on the cover. That's over now. You just made my "hates UT" list.

Those covers are generally regional

 

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

After talking to Bob Stoops he thinks he may have underestimated Oklahoma? Lol.

 

[golfballs]

A man that has devoted his life and income to predicting college football scores agrees with the realists on VN......but hey, we're just negavols.

More like he's devoted his life to being a negavol!! I can't even remember the last time he picked Tennessee to beat a top 5 team on the road!! I've just about had enough of his "predictions"

 

[Pepe_Silvia]

Haha, perfect response. Oh, the poor, oppressed realists...

 

[ITSGR82BATNVOL]

More like he's devoted his life to being a negavol!! I can't even remember the last time he picked Tennessee to beat a top 5 team on the road!! I've just about had enough of his "predictions"

...And for good reason...If he had he'd look really foolish !!!

 

[ncvol17]

Looks about right. I doubt we score more than 17, but I could see our defense holding them under 41, maybe 31-37 pts. Either way, I think his predicted score is pretty close.

LOL...not 41 maybe 37....block that kick...block that kick

 

[1orangews6]

That's why we play the game. There is always a chance that the underdog can whip dat azz.

 

[Ten_Titans]

Looks about right to me.

 

[DL916]

Hey look at me I'm a realist and that means any time someone points out something positive I will point out something negative to balance it out. That's how realism works right?

No you bunch of douchebags. If you don't like people being positives about a team they cheer for then get off the site. That would be like not being optimistic about your future or your kids future. Sure OU is viewed as a better team (that's reality) but when someone says they think we'll win that doesn't mean you have to be a jerk and tell them they're wrong every single damn time.

 

[DERELICK_MY_VOLS]

A man that has devoted his life and income to predicting college football scores agrees with the realists on VN......but hey, we're just negavols.

Well as long as our coaches and team believes they are going to win....I wonder who he picked when #9 OU escaped Cincy by 2 points in 2010---Butch's 1st year with a team that finished 4-8 :dunno: If these elite young Volunteer athletes believe and fight like those outmatched 2010 Bearcats did for Butch....this could be interesting.

 

[thebjd]

...And for good reason...If he had he'd look really foolish !!!

deleted

 

[tbulla]

Who da frack is Phil Steele ? And who gives shizz what he thinks the score will be? Tell that s.o.b I said to kick rocks.