The Tennessee Volunteers will try and avoid a letdown on Saturday as they host the Ohio Bobcats on SEC Network. The Volunteers survived against Appalachian State in their opener and then last week Tennessee defeated Virginia Tech 45-24 in front of the biggest crowd in NCAA football history, 156,990 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Vols will have to avoid overlooking Ohio in this Week 3 matchup on Saturday.
Watch this regular season Week 3 matchup live on Saturday, September 17, 2016, at 12 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Ohio +27.5
Tennessee -27.5
Odds Analysis
The Volunteers opened up as 27.5-point home favorites in this contest and there was no early line movement.
Based on the line it would seem that any movement at all would go toward Tennessee and drive the number up to -28 but the wiseguys didn’t want anything to do with this opening line and rarely will the odds move much in college football with just public action unless it is on a marquee team and Tennessee is not yet in that category.
Tennessee is coming off a big win against Virginia Tech but their defense has not played well this season and Ohio could hang around in this contest longer than expected. If the wiseguys are going to get involved they may take the Bobcats plus the big points but it is unlikely the line will move more than a point or two.
Matchup to Watch
This game will likely come down to whether or not the Tennessee defense can stop the Ohio rushing attack. The Bobcats come into this game ranked 11th in the country in rushing yards per game at 289.5 while the Volunteers are just 96th against the run, allowing 185 yards per contest.
Ohio ran all over Kansas last week in a 37-21 win. Quarterback Greg Windham had 146 yards on the ground while Dorian Brown added 122 yards. "I feel like we have a run game," head coach Frank Solich said, "and if you have a run game you have a chance." Ohio had 329 yards rushing in the win and that was without top running back A.J. Ouellette who hurt his foot in the opener.
Tennessee has yet to stop the run this season as they had trouble in the opener against Appalachian State and last week against Virginia Tech they gave up 186 yards and 4.1 yards per rush.
Letdown Spot
The Volunteers are coming off playing at Bristol Motor Speedway in an amazing atmosphere and now they go home to face a MAC team. Not only is this a huge letdown spot you can make a case it is a sandwich spot as well as the Volunteers host Florida next week in a huge SEC rivalry game.
Tennessee head coach Butch Jones said that the game against the Hokies was a once in a lifetime experience. "Just an unbelievable spectacle," Jones said, "I think the reality hit our players when we came here yesterday for the walk through with all the campers and trailers again this is truly a special evening that we'll remember for a lifetime."
Free ATS Pick
The Volunteers should win this game at home but we have already seen how this team can struggle against weak competition as they nearly lost their opener against Appalachian State. Now the Vols get an Ohio team that is going to try and run it down their throat.
Ohio has been a very good team of late in non-conference games as they are 8-1 ATS. Ohio has also played well in the opening month of the season going 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games in September.
Tennessee will probably pull out the win in his game but it may not be easy so I will take the Bobcats plus the big points.
College Football Odds: Tennessee 35, Ohio 28
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