RTTs Locks & Keys Week 3: Prepare Accordingly

Calling this a big game is technically true, but not in a "Tennessee absolutely must win this game" set. This is a chance, nothing more - if we're lucky enough to see a win, that would be The Year One Upset. Heck, with a close loss, we're still really happy.

Personally? Let;'s not lose the game by 70. And with that, I can freely admit that I'm pretty much in the tank for Oregon's offense the rest of the season; I want to win this game 84-83. Is that rational? Nope. Do I care? Hardly.

On to the Locks, then the Recaps, then the Keys (but Locks, Recaps, and Keys doesn't really roll off the tongue).

• Limit the need for an extra blocker. Tennessee's offensive line will be the best weapon they have in this game. Oregon will bring pressure from everywhere - they're rocking a 3-4 and will frequently bring 5, so accounting for potential blitzers is critical. Overloads will happen, but don't let them become overwhelming; if there's going to be any semblance of a passing game on Saturday, turning it into a numbers game by getting more routes out there is key.
• Big Dumb Will Muschamp Offense. I'm totally stealing that line from Spencer Hall, but it's not the worst idea here. I have somewhere between zero and less than zero confidence in Justin Worley's ability to win this game, and I also have between zero and less than zero confidence that Tennessee will have a speed advantage anywhere. As a result, doing things that limit Oregon's advantages here are big deal. Short side runs, taking ages between snaps to allow the offense to recover, and other things that look like Our Big Guys Beating The Tar Out of Their Big Guys are the order of the day.
• Don't worry about TOP. No, really. Tennessee's going to win TOP going away, and it doesn't matter in the slightest.
• Worry about killed Oregon drives. Tennessee isn't going to stop every play Oregon has, but they don't need to; they need to stop three in a row. I mean, Oregon's going to score. They're probably going to score a lot. However, cutting drives dead matters way more than winning each individual down.
• Keep it in front. I have no earthly idea how this defense will do this short of dropping the safeties to a depth of 40 yards and hoping, but if there's a way to do this, do it. I wouldn't rule out rocket-powered cleats, which someone can probably break in to the Nike research facility and take because I'm betting these things are in beta. (They run on Lane Kiffin's tears. They'll be deadly in November.)
• Don't get overwhelmed. Oregon at Autzen is an experience in sensory overstimulation; the colors are bright, the stadium is a combination of architectural accident and brilliance, noise is everywhere, and half the game will be played at breakneck speed. Figuring out a way to not let any of that overwhelm the Vols probably won't be the difference, but it will let them hang in long enough to have a chance. There won't be a chance to grind out a comeback in the 3rd quarter here; there are no off plays.

A Quick Look Back To Last Week's Picks:

Chris -- Week 2: 2-4. Season: 6-6

• Oregon (-22.5) at Virginia: This was a gift from Vegas. Just take it and thank them; it won't happen every day. 1-0.
• USC (15.5) vs. Washington State: Worst. Pick. Ever. What's on tap this week? Betting on Roger Federer? Bwahahahaha. 1-1.
• Florida/Miami UNDER 48. Florida can't score. And apparently Miami can't score either. So good pick. 2-1.
• Stanford (-25) vs. San Jose State: Never ever ever bet against SJSU. 2-2.
• Texas/BYU UNDER 57.5. BYU didn't really hate offense so much when they were gashing The Fighting Mack Brown Notes on the ground like Rafael Nadal gashed Djokovic in that fourth set. #13 baby! 2-3.
• Cincinnati (-7.5) at Illinois. Blame this one on Munchie. Hope he recovers quickly. 2-4.

KidB -- Week 2: 3-3. Season: 7-5

• Bowling Green-7 over Kent State: KidB knows MACtions. 1-0.
• Tulsa-10.5 over Colorado State: KidB is officially off the Tulsa bandwagon. 1-1.
• Arizona-10.5 over UNLV: This pick was so easy. UNLV is atrocious at football. I mean, if this pick were any easier, you'd have to rename it "Rafael Nadal over Roger Federer". 2-1.
• Indiana-12.5 over Navy: Perhaps KidB should have researched a bit more on Navy. 2-2.
• Tulane-6 over South Alabama: Unclear whether South Alabama was better than KidB thought, or Tulane was worse. Either way, this one didn't work out. 2-3.
• Duke-4 over Memphis State: Memphis State still sucks at football. Roger Federer is still ridiculously smug. Some things never change. 3-3.

I_S -- Week 2: 2-4. Season: 6-6.

• Oregon State -27 over Hawai'i: Perhaps Oregon State just isn't that good this year. 0-1.
• Indiana/Navy over 67.5. I_S's theory about Indiana being offensively competent and defensively incompetent was right on point. 1-1.
• Toledo +17 over Missouri. Nice pick. Everbody wins when MACtion covers. 2-1.
• Duke/Memphis over 54. I actively dislike Boyz 2 Men, except that I love that song "Water Runs Dry". 2-2.
• Tulane -6 over South Alabama. I_S and KidB need to rethink their South Alabama position. 2-3.
• Syracuse +16.5 over Northwestern. Syracuse was pretty good last year. Similarly, Roger Federer was pretty good at tennis five or six years ago. Things change.2-4