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Tennessee Volunteers v. UAB Blazers game preview

Tennessee logo
September 13, 2008, 12:30 p.m. EST
TV: Raycom
Radio: Vol Network
Internet Audio: CSTV
Internet TV: ESPN360
XM Radio: 199
Phone Broadcast: TeamLine
Live Stats: UTSports
Game Day Information
Game Day Schedule
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UCLA logo
NR (BlogPoll)
 
NR (BlogPoll)

 

Jackson the Mule says . . .

UCLA? What's UCLA? I don't know what you mean by "UCLA."

 

STATS COMPARISON (for whatever it's worth this early in the season)

Tennessee rush
v.
UAB defense
Tennessee pass
v.
UAB defense
UAB rush
v.
Tennessee defense
UAB pass
v.
Tennessee defense
42 77 1 32
105 117 32 40
Tennessee logo
Tennessee logo
Tennessee logo
Tennessee logo

 

Field Goals
Tennessee punting
v.
UAB punt return
UAB punting
v.
Tennessee punt return
Intangibles
T-36 116 24  
T-20 74 82
UAB logo
UAB logo
Tennessee logo
Tennessee logo

Here's how the teams look next to each other in each of the key statistical categories currently used in the RTT Ready, Fire, Aim BlogPoll Computer Ballot:

Rank
Team
WL
SOS
PED
RD
3DO
TD
PEO
EXP
OPPG
TO
3DD
AVG R
W AVG
86
Tennessee
3
3
32
1
99
42
114
45
82
68
95
53.09
407.00
108
UAB
3
2
117
104
23
117
70
105
113
34
112
72.73
500.91

So it's looking like Tennessee's got the advantage most everywhere. Shoot, the Vols probably have the advantage in field goals, too, because Lincoln was called on to hit (and missed) two 50+ yarders against UCLA, so that really shouldn't be counted against him (of course there is that matter of the short one in OT he missed, but Jackson The Mule wishes to remind you that he has no idea what you're talking about). Ditto the punting, which would look much different if it weren't for that nasty blocked punt for a TD against UCLA, which Jackson doesn't remember, either, and thinks you're just making it up.

But . . . that impressive No. 1 rush defense for the Vols? Really, that's a lot like giving the Pope credit for keeping Mother Teresa from murdering homeless people: she wasn't likely to do it anyway.

We really should be able to score almost at will against the Blazers, but don't discredit their offense too much. QB Joe Webb is averaging almost 250 yards per game and another 100 rushing, and I have not heard Vol fans and media so confident about the outcome of a game since . . . well, since the week leading up to that game Jackson don't remember.

This is the 2008 home opener, and that of course calls for the surround sound synchy YouTubey Running Through The T Motivational Ploy:

hooper wins this week's Hail Mary Haiku (and gets a point for the RTT Pregame Guessing Game) with the following:

Mustang Package for
First and Goal. Berry lined up
at Gate Twenty-One

by hooper

Consider this your pre-game comment thread. I'm off to Knoxville, and I'll be meeting hooper and perhaps some others there, so someone else is going to have to drive the game threads. The first of those will be up just before kickoff, and the second half thread will go live at 2:00. Y'all can switch when the second half begins or at 2:00, whichever is later.

Go Vols!