NEED TO KNOW
Utilizing the Open Week
Josh Heupel owns a 6-1 record in games played after an open week in his four previous seasons as a head coach (5-1 at UCF), including a 45-42 road win at No. 18 Kentucky last year. The Vols are 83-49-9 all-time after open dates and 49-35-2 after open weeks in league play. This represents the third time that Tennessee will face LSU after a Vols open date. UT won the two previous meetings by scores of 26-18 in Knoxville in 2001 and 24-10 in Knoxville in 1975.
Offense in No. 1
A year after setting a school record for points in a season and becoming the FBS' most improved offense (No. 7, 39.3 ppg), Tennessee's offense is still thriving. The Vols are averaging a nation-best 559.3 yards per game of total offense and are also No. 1 in passing offense (365.8 ypg) and redzone offense (22-22). UT ranks second in the nation in passing efficiency (196.30) and scoring offense (48.5). The Vols are third in the FBS in completion percentage (73.8). UT has put up at least 30 points in a league-best seven straight games, a first since they did it in seven straight games from 2016-17. UT leads the SEC in six different offensive categories: total offense, scoring offense, passing offense, passing efficiency, completion percentage and red zone offense.
Run Stoppers, Takeaway Specialists
Tennessee's defense has been one of the nation's best at bottling up opposing rushing attacks this season, allowing just 97.8 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 21st nationally and third in the SEC. The Vols have also been opportunistic, forcing eight turnovers through four games, which is fourth in the conference. UT has not lost the turnover battle in each of its last seven games.
Chasing Records
Star quarterback Hendon Hooker has elevated his game to the next level this season and is in the midst of rewriting the Tennessee record books. The redshirt senior has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 16 straight games, which is second in UT history behind Heath Shuler's record of 18 consecutive games from 1992-94. He has accounted for multiple touchdowns in 16 of his last 17 games entering Saturday's showdown and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game he has started at UT (15).
Hooker has also continued his climb on UT's career touchdown passes list, entering Saturday's contest sixth on the list with 39 TD passes, 14 behind Joshua Dobbs (53) for fifth. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native carries a streak of 212 consecutive pass attempts without an interception into Saturday's game against the Tigers, which is already a program record.
