UConn vs Tennessee Odds, Pick
| UConn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+35.5 -110 | 55.5 -110o / -110u | +2500 |
| Tennessee Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-35.5 -110 | 55.5 -110o / -110u | -10000 |
The Tennessee Volunteers are clinging to their New Year's Six Bowl aspirations, and lucky for them, the UConn Huskies are headed to Knoxville.
Vols HC Josh Heupel has been brutally criticized by the media due to some poor coaching decisions in their loss to Alabama.
Heupel's job appears safe, but I doubt he can afford more slip-ups down the stretch.
This is a fascinating matchup to handicap, as there are a couple of areas we can attack from a gambling perspective.
Let's waste no further time and break down this lopsided UConn vs Tennessee matchup with odds and a pick.
Connecticut Huskies
It's been a very disappointing season for Huskies HC Jim Mora, as his team seemed to turn the corner after making a bowl last season. The Huskies offense has been non-existent so far this season, and I have a hard time believing they are going to change that in this particular matchup.
QB Ta'Quan Roberson will need to perform a hell of a lot better if the Huskies want to cover this number or miraculously win the game. He only completed 45% of his passes last weekend against Boston College.
UConn is one of the worst teams in the country offensively, and a lot of that is due to the fact they struggle to run the football. Last season, the Huskies relied heavily on their running game, but they have yet to show any flashes of replicating that success.
I can't see the Huskies having any sort of offensive success against a solid Vols defense, which ranks inside the top 25 in Havoc, line yards, and rushing success rate. I envision a long day for this offense, and I'd be stunned if they were able to score multiple touchdowns.
I'd argue that defense is the strength of this team by far. I know it's been ugly at times for this unit, but the Huskies have been respectable against the run and pass.
The Vols love to run the football, as they are 37th in rush rate. This unit isn't elite by any means, but they're amongst the top 70 in opponent rushing yards per game.
The secondary has held its own at times, and quite frankly, I think Vols QB Joe Milton is a pumpkin. I wouldn't be too surprised to see this secondary forcing a few mistakes from Milton.
I'm not going to go as far and say this defense is good enough to contain the Vols all afternoon, but I think they are capable of forcing a few short possessions. Keep this in mind when I talk about the betting pick.
Tennessee Volunteers
Rocky Top, you'll always be a huge tease to your fanbase. This isn't 1998, but I think Vols fans expected some growth after last year's outstanding season.
Lucky for them, they will most likely improve to 7-2 after this matchup. If they can win two out of their last three games, I could see them in the conversation for an NY6 game.
Defensively, this is setting up for a superb matchup for the Vols to completely dominate this game. I spoke about the strength of their defense earlier, but they are going to cause huge issues in the trench to prevent this Huskies team from establishing any sort of offensive success.
The Vols offense should find some success against this Huskies defense, as they are top-35 in offensive line yards and rushing success rate. However, I wouldn't expect the Huskies team to completely roll over.
Milton might be a pumpkin, but he should still be able to put together some quick scoring drives for the Vols. I think the Vols may come out sleepy in this matchup, but by the second quarter, they will start to kick things into gear.
This smells like a game where the Vols build a 28-0 lead by halftime, and then the offense slows down the tempo to run dives for the majority of the second half. Huepel wants this group healthy, especially with matchups against Missouri and Georgia coming up in the next couple of weeks.
UConn vs Tennessee
Betting Pick & Prediction
I noticed the public is pounding the over in this matchup, but I am going to fade them and take the under in this spot. This can be a bit scary considering how fast the Vols operate on offense, but I truly think this Huskies defense isn't as bad as it's portrayed.
Even if the Vols are able to score at will, I believe in their defense will eliminate any sort of offensive threat. It's very possible that the Huskies are held scoreless in this matchup.
If the Vols have a big lead, I expect Huepel to call off the dogs and run a methodical offense for the majority of the second half. This Vols team needs to stay healthy, so let's have faith in this defense to cash the under with ease.
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
