You might be wondering how Tennessee football decided on Kent State as a nonconference opponent for this Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
Possible explanation: It’s a MAC team.
Or maybe, UT was looking for something different (i.e., a program it had never played). Perhaps, it was a close call between Kent State and Washington.
And Tennessee opted for Kent State.
Tennessee 62, Kent State 6: The Vols reached 50 points only once last season. They already have passed 50 twice this season.
This would be the first time in the modern era of UT football that the Vols have scored 50 or more points in three consecutive games. They also did it in 1913.
And no, I didn’t cover that team.
Alabama 30, Wisconsin 14: This rare SEC-Big Ten matchup is worth watching just to get a peek at Tide freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, who is only 17 years old and could still be playing high school football.
In his first two college games, he has averaged 34.5 yards on six catches, three of which went for touchdowns.
Arkansas 35, UAB 13: In a shocking development, the Razorbacks find themselves in the role of a heavy favorite. My advice: Don’t get comfortable in that role.
Auburn 45, New Mexico 17: If you have been wondering how Bronco Mendenhall’s coaching career is going, this should tell you all you need to know: He’s the first-year coach of the Lobos.
Texas A&M 24, Florida 20: An interesting coaching matchup between first-year Aggies coach Mike Elko and last-year Gators coach Billy Napier. I still haven’t decided which one had a worse opener: Elko against Notre Dame or Napier against Miami.
Georgia 40, Kentucky 13: Some broadcasters still refer to the Wildcats’ offensive line as the “Big Blue Wall.” Apparently, they haven’t been paying attention.
It has become the “Big Blue Fall.”
LSU 37, South Carolina 20: Three weeks into the season, I’m still baffled why former Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders chose South Carolina as his transfer destination. He could have picked more offensively minded LSU, which could have used another running back.
This won’t be the only Saturday in which Sanders second-guesses himself for choosing the Gamecocks.
Ole Miss 51, Wake Forest 23: Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson had a 63-61 record after 10 years. History tells us he should have found another job after last season.
No Wake Forest coach has had an overall winning record since Peahead Walker (1937-50). When someone named “Peahead” has been your most successful coach in 74 years, what does that tell you?
Mississippi State 34, Toledo 24: The Bulldogs obviously are ignorant of the MAC’s hierarchy. Otherwise, they would have scheduled Kent State.
The Rockets, who haven’t had a losing season in 15 years, are one of the MAC’s best programs. You might have noticed what Northern Illinois − another one of the MAC’s top programs − did last last week in South Bend, Indiana.
Missouri 34, Boston College 31: A question asked often in preseason: How will the Tigers handle high expectations.
This game should enlighten you.
Oklahoma 30, Tulane 27: Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall went 23-4 in his first head-coaching stint (at Troy). The Sooners‘ Brent Venables is an un-Oklahoma-like 18-10 in his two-plus seasons as coach.
If Tulane could upset Oklahoma in Norman, the Sooners might be tempted to fire Venables and hire Sumrall right after the postgame coaches handshake.
Vanderbilt 30, Georgia State 20: Sun Belt Conference teams don’t usually host SEC teams, but − this just in − the Commodores aren’t a typical SEC team.
ADAMS: Why Tennessee football fans shouldn’t worry about a letdown with this team
Tennessee fans will recognize the name of Georgia State’s offensive coordinator − much-traveled Jim Chaney, who was an offensive coordinator under three former Tennessee coaches.
Texas 49, UTSA 17: The Longhorns got a break when Frank Harris wasn’t allowed to quarterback the Roadrunners for an eighth season.
Record: 26-6 (.813), 10-10 (.500) against the spread.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How Tennessee football can make history, other SEC predictions
