UCLA VS. TENNESSEE Matchups.

[Ericvol2096]

Tennessee wins by at least 2 TDs.... here are the keys, I think:

1) neyland stadium. UCLA has a ton of freshman they're starting or playing a lot, and so they have a ton of kids that haven't traveled for a road game yet, and their first experience will be Neyland. Just like with Cal three years ago, UCLA will not be able to stay mentally focused and the crowd noise will eat away at them. I go to one game a year, and I've only seen one game where I was disappointed in the crowd's noise level - last year's Miss. St. game. and that was because there were a few big gaps of empty seats and folks were lackluster, even with the win. That won't be the case Saturday.

2) TN's defense - more complete and faster than last years. Won't be making the same big mistakes as last year (how may sad arm tackles did we have to endure in last year's game?)

Those two factors will decide the game. I think our offense will do enough to keep the UCLA defense on the field a long time, with a low scoring first half but by the 4th quarter will have a tired, overwhelmed defense on which TN can score on quickly and repeatedly.

That's my call, FWIW



GO VOLS!

Good thoughts...

In regards to your first point, I think the crowd will be at a fever pitch at the start of the game...but we do need a good start. If we come out and sputter around and they get a quick TD then it could deflate very quickly.

your second point is spot on, they have so much youth on the line and QB positions that I think our D will thrive on that all day.

 

[Ericvol2096]

Here is College football news' thoughts on the game

Scout.com: 2009 SEC Fearless Predictions - Week 2

UCLA (1-0) at Tennessee (1-0), 4:00 EST, Saturday, September 12, ESPN

Why to watch: The beginning of the Rick Neuheisel era got off to a thrilling start last season with a 27-24 overtime win over Tennessee in the 2008 opener. Little did anyone realize at the time that UCLA would end up being so inept, while Tennessee would also go into the tank and become one of the season’s greatest disappointments. The UCLA offense finished 111th in the nation and was 109th in scoring, while Tennessee finished 115th in yards and 110th in points. This season, each team is trying to rebuild anew and will be looking to make big statements that the times really are changing. For the Bruins, another win over Tennessee would bring a whole new measure of respect, at least compared to last year’s victory. After beating San Diego State to open the season, and with what looks like a relatively easy road over the next few weeks, if Oregon really is as lousy as it played against Boise State, a win in Knoxville might be the start of a big run for the Bruins. For the Vols, everyone will be pointing to next week’s showdown at Florida in what should be one of the nastiest games of the year. Blowing Western Kentucky out of the water in a 63-7 waxing might be a bit cathartic and might have been a nice start to the Lane Kiffin era, but this is a needed step up the ladder to show that the program has improved since almost 365 days ago. With five home games in the first six, this is when Tennessee has to take advantage of the schedule breaks, and it has to go into Gainesville next week roaring.
Why UCLA might win: While it didn’t necessarily show it last week, especially early on when San Diego State was able to put up 14 points in the first quarter, highlighted by a 78-yard pass play for an Aztec touchdown, the UCLA defense really should be good. This is a young group, but it’s a talented one with good athleticism and nice upside. The D put the clamps down over the last three quarters against SDSU, and it didn’t allow any sort of a running game. Tennessee might lead the nation in offense after one game, but UCLA isn’t Western Kentucky. The floodgates opened when the Hilltoppers started screwing up, so if the Bruins could hang on to the ball, this might turn out to be a bit of a slugfest.
Why Tennessee might win: The UCLA offense is still awful, while the secondary is a concern. With the loss of starting corner Aaron Hester to a broken leg, the Bruins are very thin, and very small in the defensive backfield. The Tennessee passing game clicked against WKU, and if the bigger receivers can exploit the size advantage, and if Courtney Viney doesn’t shine in Hester’s place, Vol QB Jonathan Crompton could have a second straight big game. If Tennessee gets any sort of a lead, UCLA doesn’t have the matured firepower to keep up. It’ll be a year or so before the strong 2009 recruiting class pays off, and as shown against SDSU, UCLA still has an inefficient passing game and little ground attack. Defensively, there wasn’t much of a pass rush, and that has to change in a big hurry or else ...
Who to watch: … Crompton could have another big game. A disaster last year, throwing four touchdown passes and five interceptions as the starter over the first four games and with a smattering of time late, Crompton came up with five scoring passes on a 21-of-28 day against WKU. He only threw for 233 yards and gave away two interceptions, but he showed a more accurate passing touch, came through with the big throws needed to make the game a laugher, and he took a great step forward to possibly being the leader who could make this a promising season. For UCLA, Kevin Prince threw two interceptions and a touchdown pass, and only threw for 176 yards, but the coaching staff liked his accuracy, completing 18-of-29 passes, and there was promise that he could be the steady playmaker under center that the Bruin attack missed so much last year.
What will happen: Tennessee won’t explode like it did against WKU, but it’ll have a balanced offense that utilizes RB Bryce Brown more and only makes Crompton throw the short-to-midrange passes with the hope for the receivers to make things happen against the thin Bruin secondary. UCLA won’t be able to run, Prince will throw four picks, and the Vols will have the win they want before battling Florida.
CFN Prediction: Tennessee 30 … UCLA 17 ... Line: Tennessee -8
Must See Rating: (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season Premiere 5 … The Fresh Beat Band 1) … 3.5

 

[thesharc]

This year's game will not be reflective of last year's UCLA win over UT in Pasadena for several reasons, most of which can be traced directly to the new coaching staff at Tennessee.

This year's Tennessee team will rely heavily on a running game that features no less than four superb running backs. With an entirely different coaching staff, last year's Tennessee offense was less than anemic, being run by former OC Dave Clawson. While the quarterback is the same in Jonathan Crompton, observers will see a day/night difference in his play this year from last year, much of this due to the coaching from Kiffin and Jim Chaney. Crompton will be asked to manage the ground game and make shorter passes to a more adept offense that should see the return of Gerald Jones for this game. Even without Jones, Tennessee's offense managed to amass the best numbers in the nation last week, and that should be a major concern to a UCLA defense that is less than 100 percent.

With fresh faces from a top-10 recruiting class such as Marsalis Teague, Nu’Keese Richardson, Prentiss Wagner and Bryce Brown, Tennessee may be premiering one of the best teams of the next 4-5 years.

Last year's second-half offensive adjustments by Norm Chow were the difference in the game, making Kevin Craft a superstar instead of the first-half goat. Now, John Chavis is no slouch, but Monte Kiffin is perhaps one of the best defensive minds in the game today. Tennessee's secondary will not allow last year to happen again in this year's game, but if it does, Tennessee's weakness may be in their linebacking corps. Led by team captain Nick Reveiz and Rico McCoy, this unit will have to play lights out. During the Western Kentucky game, Tennessee's 4-3 dominated the line of scrimmage and the linebacking corps had a relatively easy day as the secondary covered the Hilltopper receivers like a blanket. As much as Monte is known for the Tampa-2 fans will not see this package that often.

Tennessee's offensive line received a boost this week when All-SEC center Josh McNeil came back to practice after many had feared his career might be through. McNeil, who will have knee surgery in the offseason, is a leader whose presence in the huddle alone will give Tennessee a boost, but look for this game to be won on the front line. If Tennessee's offensive line can make the kinds of blocks and open the lanes that they did versus the Hilltoppers, the lightning and thunder tandem of Montario Hardesty and Brown, both of which ran for over 100 yards last week, are going to be difficult to stop.

The big concern for Tennessee is turnovers; the same issue that sent cost Tennessee several games last season. Early in the Western Kentucky game Tennessee turned the ball over twice. If Tennessee can solve the turnover problem, it could be a long day for Chuck Bullough and the UCLA defense.

UCLA holds a moderate advantage over the Vols with All-American kicker Kai Forbath. UT place kicker Daniel Lincoln is an All-American (2007) and is also on the Lou Groza Watch List for 2009 just like Forbath. The advantage is in Forbath's distance. Forbath has proven to be more accurate from longers distances (7/7 for kicks beyond 50 yards), Lincoln did kick two 47-yard field goals last season.

As anyone who attended the Western Kentucky game on Saturday can attest, it's apparent the Vols faithful are the ones with revenge on their minds, even if the team is more focused on the big picture. Look for over 102,000 rejuvenated fans to make Neyland Stadium a difficult place for the redshirt freshman QB Kevin Prince. The best thing UCLA can do in this game is jump out to an early lead to quiet the fans.

The kicking game is still double-edged sword for Tennessee. A blocked punt in last year’s game put UCLA up 7-0 and helped keep the team in the game during the first half. Since Tennessee did not punt once in week one, no one is sure what the kicking game will be like this year. With Dennis Rogan and Richardson returning kicks, the ability to run a kick back will be there, but Richardson must learn to handle the ball before he can be considered a true threat for the Vols.

One thing a lot of Pac-10 fans may fail to realize or understand this year is the intensity and change in attitude at the University of Tennessee. Last year's loss to UCLA was the beginning of the end of the Fulmer regime in Knoxville just as this year's victory could signal the true beginning of the Kiffin era. Lane Kiffin, whether he's been characterized as a loud-mouth blow hard by all the news agencies, has brought a new sense to this Tennessee program. Gone is the sense of entitlement. In its place is the belief that the best players will play. Kiffin has already shown this mantra by playing 10 true freshmen in week 1.

This Tennessee team will try to win by as much as possible without running up the score, not because they are trying to make a statement, but because they just may be that good. Revenge will not be a factor when these two teams meet Saturday; excellence will be.


Betting man says: Take Tennessee minus the 8.

 

[Bassmanbruno]

Bruins have probably have the edge at WR..

 

[Dagreek1998]

Folks, I don’t think the vast majority understand what is truly going on right now. LK wants to bury everyone. He has this team believing they will be prepared more than their opponent and that they will not be surprised by anything. They are extremely confident right now and the atmosphere is almost to the point of explosion. For those reason, I believe Tennessee puts the boot on the throat and stomps it until the crunching stops. That will put THE BIG ORANGE into the top 25 and set up a showdown next week with Florida. UT over UCLA big 55-14.

"Throw the pencil down a well, write the down with a sharpe on the back of your kids birth certificate. That is how sure I am about this one" - Dagreek1998
:superman: