Tennessee at Pittsburgh: 2022 SEC Football game preview, TV schedule
Tennessee faces its first test against Pittsburgh after defeating Ball State in a tuneup game. The Panthers face the Volunteers after beating West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl. Can Hendon Hooker lead the Volunteers to victory in this Top-25 matchup?
Game time: September 10, 2022 at 3:30 PM ET
TV Schedule: ABC
Location: Acrisure Stadium
The Pittsburgh Panthers go into this game ranked as the 17th team in the country in the AP poll. Last year, Kenny Pickett led the Panthers to a victory in the ACC championship game before losing to Michigan State in the Peach Bowl. Pickett is now in the NFL with the hometown Steelers. Pittsburgh’s new QB is Kedon Slovis.
Slovis played three years at USC before transferring to Pittsburgh. In his first game with the Panthers, he threw for 308 yards and 1 touchdown. Slovis will certainly have his hands full with a Tennessee defense that will bring defensive pressure. Byron Young headlines this defensive group. The defensive lineman was named to the SEC First Team for the preseason this year.
If the Panthers want to win this game, they will have to beat Tennessee in the air. The Volunteers’ secondary is very weak. Last year, Tennessee allowed 251 passing yards per game. That was one of the most allowed in college football. Considering it was a weak group already last year, losing Alontae Taylor and Theo Jackson to the NFL doesn’t help. Look for Jared Wayne or Bub Means to have a big game.
On the other side of the ball, Tennessee will be led by Hendon Hooker. Hooker threw for two touchdowns and 221 yards in their season debut against Ball-State. Hooker is a fifth-year senior, who transferred to the Volunteers in 2021 after playing at Virginia Tech for three years. Look for Hooker to throw the ball early and often to Cedric Tillman. Tillman was named to the SEC First Team for the preseason this year.
Next. Florida, Tennessee rise in Week 2 SEC power rankings. dark
Prediction
Tennessee: 28 Pittsburgh: 35
Look for the Volunteers’ weak secondary to be the reason they lose this game. Slovis and the Panthers offense will take advantage of this bad secondary to take the win. While I think that Pittsburgh will win the game, I would not be shocked if the Volunteers win this game based on a performance from Hooker. If Tennessee wants to win this game, Hooker and Tillman’s connection will have to be strong because the Volunteers will have to match the Panthers in a scoring shootout.
