Tennessee Football opens as a big home favorite against Arkansas

Tennessee Football opened as an 13.5-point home favorite against Arkansas with the total set at 69.5 for Saturday’s game at Neyland Stadium, according to odds released by BetMGM. Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time and the game will be televised by SEC Network. 

Both teams were off this week. No. 12 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) is coming off a 41-34 overtime win at Mississippi State while Arkansas (2-3, 0-1) has lost three straight. 

Tennessee is 3-2 against the spread this season, covering a 13.5-point spread against Syracuse, a 39.5-point spread against ETSU and as a 3.5-point underdog against Georgia. The Vols failed to cover a 38.5-point spread against UAB and a 7.5-point spread at Mississippi State. 

Tennessee beat Syracuse 45-26 in Week 1 in Atlanta, beat ETSU 72-17 in Week 2, lost 44-41 in overtime against Georgia in Week 3 and beat UAB 56-24 in Week 4, before the 41-34 overtime win at Mississippi State.

The over has hit in all five Tennessee games this season: 51.5 vs. Syracuse, 58.5 vs. ETSU, 50.5 vs. Georgia, 69.5 vs. UAB and 63.5 at Mississippi State.

Arkansas fired Sam Pittman after three straight losses

Arkansas losing 56-13 at home loss to Notre Dame last week cost head coach Sam Pittman his job, with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bobby Petrino being promoted to interim head coach. 

Petrino also fired three defensive coaches on Monday, letting go of defensive coordinator Travis Williams, defensive line coach Deke Adams and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson. 

Arkansas promoted assistant defensive line coach Chris Wilson to defensive coordinator and running backs coach Kolby Smith as offensive coordinator. Petrino will continue calling plays from the sideline as interim head coach.

Vols are 13-7 against Arkansas, have lost four straight

The Vols are 13-7 all time against Arkansas, dating back to 1907, but have lost four straight and have not beaten the Razorbacks since 2007.

Arkansas upset Tennessee 19-14 in Fayetteville last season, won 24-13 at home in 2020 and 24-20 at Neyland Stadium in 2015. The run started with a 49-7 home win over the Vols in 2011. 

Tennessee won 34-13 in Knoxville in 2007 and won nine of the first 10 in the series. 

After hosting Arkansas on Saturday, the Vols go back on the road for back-to-back away games at Alabama on October 18 and at Kentucky on October 25.

November will give Tennessee three of four games at home, with the Vols playing Oklahoma (November 1), New Mexico State (November 15) and Vanderbilt (November 29) at home, with a road trip at Florida (November 22). The second bye week of the season is November 8.