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We made the predictions, now we have to face them. How did Mike and I do in week three?

Tennessee vs. Florida in Knoxville

What Mike Said:

The SEC opener for both teams in recent years, is now just the SEC opener for the Vols. Florida comes in after having defeated a game Texas A&M squad. UT is coming in over a thrashing of Georgia St. The Florida defense keeps the Vols under forty for the first time this season, but Sal Sunseri’s crew is starting to get the hang of this 3-4 thing. Florida scores a late touchdown to make the final score close than the actual game.

Tennessee 31 – Florida 23

3-0

What Steve Said:

It’s Florida, and nothing good ever happens against Florida. Today is no different. The Vols fans learn the hard way that having a good passing game isn’t quite enough. Brent Pease has a good, conservative game plan that allows the Gator defense to stay fresh and minimize the damage the Vols offense can do. The game remains tight but Florida has the edge at the end.

Tennessee 20 – Florida 23

2-1

The Reality:

I still haven’t wrapped my head completely around what happened on Saturday. After an early touchdown by Trey Burton, Tennessee pretty much owned the rest of the first half. Unfortunately, one half does not a football game make.  A 14-10 halftime lead, and a 20-13 lead midway through the third were misleading, as Florida ripped off 24 unanswered points, and Tennessee’s struggles against quality programs continues.

In Mike’s Defense:

Mike was overconfident. Over confident in the Tennessee offense, over-confident in the Tennessee defense, over-confident in the Tennessee coaching staff. I felt good for two and half quarters.  Defensively, the Vols struggled with gap/edge containment, there were some huge drops, it was just a bad performance in the second half. Hopefully, that’s all it was.

In Steve’s Defense:

Well, I got UT’s side of the scoreboard correct. I was a bit off on the suggestion that UT would have a good passing game. Yes, Tyler Bray threw for 257 yards which is nothing to sneeze at, but he only completed only half his passes, and I don’t think anyone would confuse the Bray that came out in the second half with a good QB. That’s not to say he’s not good, but he certainly didn’t play like it, throwing some poor passes, but also \some outright confusing ones. He was outplayed by Jeff Driskel, both statistically and based on what I saw. That’s a rough Saturday.

Alabama vs. Arkansas in Fayetteville

What Steve Said:

Paul Petrino will be calling the offense instead of his brother. John L. Smith has the intelligence to let him. The Razorback defense enters the game with a false sense of security coming off two cupcakes to start the season, and AJ McCarron makes them pay for their over-confidence with a long pass to DeAndrew White for an early touchdown. Knocked back on their heels, the Razorbacks defense is unable to contain the 1-2 punch of Eddie Lacy and TJ Yeldon and find themselves down three scores early in the third quarter. Knile Davis is having a relatively productive day, gaining sixty yards on fourteen carries, but the ‘Backs are forced to shelve him in favor of the pass to try to score quickly and preserve clock. Unfortunately for them, the Hogs don’t have the threats at receiver they had last season, and the two new linemen are worn down from the onslaught brought by the deepest defensive line the Tide has had in probably decades. Bama is able to harass Tyler Wilson all day, forcing two turnovers, one an interception by Vinnie Sunseri that he returns for six. Smith becomes frustrated with the play-calling in the second half and Petrino can be seen in the booth screaming into his headset. The spat begins what will be the beginning of the end for the John L. Smith era in Fayetteville, but the Tide’s season is just beginning.
Alabama 34 – Arkansas 13
3-0

What Mike Said:

The Tide’s SEC opener is a little earlier this year than most. Fayetteville will be super psyched. The Razorbacks have the SEC’s best quarterback in Tyler Wilson. The game stays close throughout the first half. At half time the score is Alabama 14-10. Razorback stadium is rocking and John L. Smith is imploring his men to “keep their piss hot!” It’s to no avail though as the Alabama defense adjusts, AJ McCarron is good enough and the Tide pull away near the end.
Alabama 27- Arkansas 13
3-0

The Reality:

This game became all about Wilson — or rather his absence — pretty much right off the bat. Given how the game went, with Bama scoring practically at will, he’s not a big difference maker in this game, but he possibly could have prevented the shutout. As it stands, Alabama did whatever they wanted and managed to get their second consecutive shutout with a ridiculous 52-0 final score.

In Steve’s Defense:

Well, if you took the points I thought Arkansas would score and gave them to Bama … yeah, I’m still short. I’m too elated by the Tide’s performance — regardless of what sort of team Arkansas actually may have at this point — to quibble over a few TDs right now. Today’s games move me to 6-0 on the season.

In Mike’s Defense:

Well, had I correctly predicted Arkansas’s lost to Louisiana-Monroe, I might have been a little bit closer. It’s so difficult to really say what kind of difference Tyler Wilson would have actually made. He may have gotten the Razorbacks on the scoreboard, but he would not have made a whole lot of difference to the Arkansas defense. Shocking turn of events from just a month ago.

 

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