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Gameplanning Tennessee-Vanderbilt with head-to-head statistical rankings

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The 2-6 Tennessee Volunteers should finally be able to find some success when they take on the 0-8 Vanderbilt Commodores this weekend. The head-to-head stat rankings suggest that Tennessee’s defense should be able render Vandy’s offense mostly impotent (with some exception for the passing game.) The main question is whether the Vols’ offense can finally get unstuck against a defense struggling as much as it is.

When the Vols have the ball

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Where’s the opportunity?

While that orange and red monstrosity up there shows that Tennessee’s offense has an advantage over Vanderbilt’s defense in every category except third down conversions, most of the supposed advantages are pretty slight. If there’s an opportunity, it appears to be in the passing game. Maybe I should put a question mark there. Maybe there’s an advantage in the passing game? Yeah, that looks more accurate.

Where’s the danger?

Vanderbilt’s defense is struggling, but so is Tennessee’s offense. This is a game where you just hope that finally playing somebody doing worse than you makes you look and feel a lot better.

Gameplan for the Vols on offense

Whatever you feel like you do best, do that. Get ahead of the sticks, then get ahead on the scoreboard, and then keep doing that until the clock hits all zeroes, and only then can you breathe a sigh of relief. You really should be able to do what you want against these guys, but if you find you can’t, don’t stay in denial for too long. Find something that works, and hurry.

Vols on defense

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Where’s the opportunity?

The good news is that Vanderbilt’s offense is struggling as much as Tennessee’s, and Tennessee’s defense is doing marginally better than Vandy’s. The Vols’ defense should be able to keep Vanderbilt’s offense from having much of any success, especially on the ground and on the scoreboard.

Where’s the danger?

Vanderbilt’s passing game isn’t breaking any records, but neither is Tennessee’s pass defense, so if this one’s going to hurt, it’s going to hurt through the air.

Gameplan for the Vols on defense

Mitigate any damage through the air, and just keep all the black and gold in front of you and out of the end zone.

Special teams

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Huge advantage for the Vols on special teams.

Turnovers and penalties

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Vanderbilt is disciplined from a penalties perspective, but they are even more likely to turn the ball over than are the Vols.