The #1 Texas Longhorns have a tough task in front of them when they travel to the rowdy Neyland Stadium to take on the #14 Tennessee Volunteers. Texas struggled sustaining drives and finishing drives in the red zone when playing on the road last season, and Neyland Stadium isn’t exactly easing into any corrections with a roster loaded with new talent. However, the crowd won’t affect the defense much at all, which has been one of the better units in the country. The Longhorns rank top-10 in both EPA/rush & EPA/dropback defensively and have allowed only three TDs on 10 red-zone trips. Furthermore, Texas has excelled limiting explosive plays, allowing only nine plays of 20+ yards this season.
On the other side, the explosiveness has been lacking for the Longhorns, as the team’s top-two rushers have managed only two attempts over 15 yards. If Texas is forced into passing situations often, it would bode well for a Tennessee unit that ranks 14th in defensive passing efficiency while creating a ton of pressure at the line, sitting 11th in FBS with eight TFL per game. All in all, this matchup suits both defenses to excel.
Texas vs Tennessee prediction: Under 55.5 (+100) available at time of publishing. Playable to 55.
