The Oklahoma Sooners and Tennessee Volunteers are two teams looking to be on the rise in 2015. Week 1 did not offer much of a glimpse into what each team has this season as they both played weaker opponents. The Sooners had a slow start to the game managing just a field goal is their first possessions before going on to win 41-3. The Volunteers beat Bowling Green 59-30 while their defense struggled against the passing attack. This week neither team can afford mistakes as they face off in Knoxville.
There is nothing Bob Stoops loves more than playing the SEC as the coach has been very vocal about his displeasure in the supposed favoritism the conference gets showed. Oklahoma is ranked No.19 and it took them a while to show why in Week 1, something that they cannot afford in this matchup. Baker Mayfield looked like a strong option for the starting quarterback job, throwing for 388 yards and three touchdowns which broke a record once held by Sam Bradford. Mayfield got the nod over both Trevor Knight and Cody Thomas and is expected to also start against Tennessee. Mayfield could have a big day after the Tennessee secondary struggled against Bowling Green allowing the quarterback to throw for 434 yards.
The Volunteers are looking to be a much improved team from last season. Josh Dobbs is now the full-time starter. He made more of an impact on the ground rushing for just shy of 100 yards. That paired well with the 144 yards from Alvin Kamara and the 123 yards from Jalen Hurd. The offensive line looked a lot more improved from last season which is good news for Tennessee fans as they prepare to face an experienced Oklahoma front seven.
The Sooners have had the Volunteers' number as of late. Last season, the Sooners sacked former Volunteers starting quarterback Justin Worley five times before getting the 34-10 win. Tennessee allowed 43 sacks on the quarterback last season which was the most in the SEC. They look like they can avoid that this year based on the run game of Dobbs, but the Sooners will present a tough challenge for the team.
