West Virginia vs. Tennessee

The hype is on at West Virginia. QB Will Grier is already in the Heisman Trophy conversation, and with his top two targets returning, and a strong offensive front, big things are expected. Things remain optimistic in Rocky Top with new Head Coach, Jeremy Pruitt. Graduate transfer Keller Chryst was 11-2 as a starter in Stanford's pro style offense, and he will likely get the nod to lead the Volunteers offense. The big issue here is the offensive line that by SEC standards is very limited, and has little depth. Tennessee is likely going to go to their strength and run the ball as much as possible to limit the number of possessions the Mountaineers are able to get. The wild card for the defense will be Pruitt himself. He is considered to be one of the strongest defensive minds in the country, and often gets more out of less. He will show Grier some things he probably has not seen before, and catching the Mountaineer's in Game 1 with no film, and timing perhaps a bit off, should hold this one UNDER the total. While the points may be limited, it would appear that the Mountaineers will be doing the bulk of the scoring. Tennessee has a very limited offense, one that simply does not have the capacity to exploit a weak defense. The Volunteers are going to try to run, and the Mountaineers are going to stack the box, daring them to take chances over the top, which may not work out so well. Make the play on West Virginia, and the UNDER in this one.