The Pittsburgh Panthers play host to the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday afternoon from Acrisure Stadium in a crucial showdown. Pitt is coming off of an ACC Championship season in 2021 and even with the turnover in the offseason, looks primed to contend again. For Tennessee, hopes are given all that they have come back as well while going on the road will be a great challenge for this group. Last season, Pitt came across with the 41-34 win on the road, while they'll be hoping to replicate that this season in the rematch.
Year after year, sight to be set on high aspirations for the Volunteers, and while this season appears like it could be tough for them to challenge the Bulldogs, they at least look like one of the better teams in the division. A big reason for that is the talent they have on the roster, both from recruiting and taking advantage of the transfer portal as well. Last week saw them destroy Ball State but there's no doubt that going on the road to the reigning ACC champs could prove to be problematic, especially after struggling to take them down last season.
The Volunteers have a few injuries to worry about as well, impacting both sides of the ball. William Mohan (suspension) and Len'Neth Whitehead (upper body) have both been ruled out, while Miles Campbell (undisclosed) could be a game-time decision. Lining up at the tight end, the status of Campbell will be important for fans to keep an eye on.
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Picking up right where he left off.. @henhook2 #GBO ?? pic.twitter.com/UbuWJRaaqY
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) September 8, 2022
There's no doubt that Tennessee's offense is likely to be one of the most exciting in the SEC and it all starts with one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country. Hendon Hooker is on some lists for the Heisman and his ability to sit back and be a dominant pocket passer was on display last week. Beyond that, his running ability, with two rushing touchdowns last week, could come in handy in this one. With a deep backfield as well, expect the Volunteers to try to control things on the ground and wear away at Pittsburgh's defense.
On the defensive side of things, it was difficult to gauge exactly what to expect out of this group this season after week one. Ball State didn't exactly pose too many threats and with backups getting quite a few minutes, at least their depth passed the test. Forcing two turnovers was key but Pittsburgh typically doesn't beat themselves and unless they can turn up the pressure in the backfield, it might fall on the secondary to carry the torch. After allowing 269 yeards through the air last week, they'll need to be far sharper in this one.