Tennessee vs. Virginia Preview
Who? Virginia Cavaliers (0–0) vs. #12 Tennessee Volunteers (0–0)
Where? Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN (watch on ABC)
When? 12:00 PM ET, September 2, 2023
Series — Tennessee leads 3–1 all-time, with Virginia’s lone win back in 1980. The two last met in the ’91 Sugar Bowl where the Vols won 23–22.
Spread — Tennessee -28.0 (Caesar’s), Tennessee 87.5% chance to win (FPI)
In Memoriam
As we embark on this new season with the Vols, it’s with both heavy hearts and a deep sense of purpose that we dedicate this chapter to our dear friend, Brian Johnson. For nearly a decade, Brian was not just a colleague, but a true friend whose presence touched us all in ways that transcended the professional realm.
While many might remember Brian for his electrifying live shows and wild antics, we are privileged to remember him as the unwavering Vol fan, the devoted father, the remarkable friend, and the incredible human being he was. Our connection with Brian went far beyond the confines of our workspace talking sports; it was a bond of genuine camaraderie that only true friends share.
As we move forward, let’s carry Brian’s spirit with us. Let’s channel his passion into our work, his dedication into our pursuits, and his warmth into our interactions. In doing so, we not only honor his memory but also infuse his legacy into the very fabric of our team.
So, let’s rise together, united not only by our commitment to our beloved Vols and our team at VSPN but by the memory of a friend who taught us the value of enthusiasm, loyalty, and friendship. This season, let’s make every endeavor a testament to the extraordinary individual Brian was.
Go Vols! Here’s to a season that not only makes us proud but also does justice to the indomitable spirit of our beloved friend.
— The VSPN Team
Tragedy unfortunately also struck the Cavaliers last season. Three football players were shot and killed on campus, leading to Virginia cancelling their final two games of the season. D’Sean Perry, Lavel Davis Jr., and Devin Chandler were the three players killed, and a moment of silence will be held at the game in their honor and for their families, as well as the UVA community as a whole. The Vols will also be wearing helmet decals to honor them.
That’s a lot of heavy stuff to start this off, and there’s no easy transition from that to football, so let’s just dive in.
Tennessee
Offense
Tennessee sits at 28 point favorites in their season opener as they look to repeat last season’s success.
Joe Milton has taken over for the NFL-departed Hendon Hooker, and there will be several other new faces we’ll see trying to replicate the explosiveness this offense had last season.
Bru McCoy, Squirrel White, and Ramel Keyton look poised to step up to bigger receiving roles. Heupel also added former Top 100 recruit and transfer Dont’e Thornton from Oregon. He’s listed on the opening depth chart as a possible starter.
Jaylen Wright, Jabari Small, and Dylan Sampson all return at running back in an extremely competitive room, and John Campbell Jr. joins an offensive line that will be missing Darnell Wright and Jerome Carvin.
But a lot of eyes should also be on the defense.
Defense
We know last year’s story; the Volunteers’ pass defense was bad. They ranked nearly bottom of FBS in passing yards per game at 290. If you remember, they weren’t as bad when you looked at it from a per play perspective, but still not good in any sense. A lot of that simply has to do with the style of play and tempo the offense operates, but also that opponents frequently had to keep up, therefore targeting the secondary more.
Trevon Flowers is gone, but the corner and safety rooms retained most of their depth, as well as added BYU starter Gabe Jeudy-Lally.
The defense saw the most attrition at linebacker, where they lost three guys that saw a lot of playtime, including Jeremy Banks. They did add another BYU starter in Keenan Pili, who will be an instant starter alongside Aaron Beasley. 10 out of 11 starters for this game are seniors or redshirt seniors, so this is a very experienced group.
There will be serious question marks all over the defense, including the health of the secondary and if there will be any improvement this year, as well if the run defense can be as good as they were last year.
Virginia
The Cavaliers finished last season 3–7 under first-year head coach Tony Elliot. They were near the bottom of the ACC in standings and in many statistics, alongside Virginia Tech and Boston College. They lost four games by 17 or more points, and another three by a combined 7. Their only wins came against Richmond (FCS), Old Dominion (by 2 points), and Georgia Tech.
Offense
UVA’s offense faces a lot of turnover, losing quarterback Brennan Armstrong, all starting receivers as well as several rotation guys, three linemen, and their offensive coordinator. All of that on top of a unit that performed extremely poorly in nearly every metric last season does not bode well.
Tony Muskett will get the start at QB this Saturday. He’s a transfer that they picked up from Monmouth (FCS) and an experienced starter. Northwestern transfer Malik Washington will be their only receiver with much experience.
In the backfield, they didn’t see anyone step up last season as a premier back. In fact, their leader on the ground was Armstrong. Perris Jones and Mike Hollins (who survived being shot last year) both return, and they’ll have competition in Clemson transfer Kobe Pace.
The unit as a whole only averaged 17 points per game and 5.1 yards per play, near bottom of FBS. Their only offensive stat that wasn’t just about last in the country was passing yards per game, where they finished at an okay 221/game mark. But with the turnover they face in the passing game, and the style of play Tony Elliot is trying to mold, they’ll struggle to put many points on the board this weekend.
Defense
The Cavalier’s defense was actually a good-to-solid group last season. They held teams to 24 points per game, 3.8 yards per rush, and 6.6 yards per passing attempt. This should still be a solid group this season, but they have lost three key defenders.
Leading tackler Nick Jackson transferred to Iowa, leaving a big hole in the middle of the defense. Starting CBs Fentrell Cypress transferred to Florida State and Anthony Johnson left for the NFL. All three were all-conference players and leaders of this unit.
They do return their front four, but Chico Bennett, their best returning defender and pass rusher, will miss the game against UT.
Virginia’s defense will be a good early test for the Vols’ offense. They won’t be going up against any sort of cupcake, but they won’t have to face as tough a Week 1 challenge against a Florida State or Utah. The Cavalier’s defense could be stout enough to give Tennessee a couple fits early on, but it shouldn’t take long for Milton and Co. to get it clicking and run up a score while the UVA offense will struggle to have any response.
Staff Picks
Ben Ashworth—Tennessee 49, Virginia 17
Travis Hamilton—Tennessee 59, Virginia 17
James Hines—Tennessee 56, Virginia 17
Jack Pierce Jr.—Tennessee 63, Virginia 14
Dylan Vogel—Tennessee 45, Virginia 16
Written by Dylan Vogel, Director of Writing at VSPN
All stats from sports-reference.com and ESPN
