Tennessee Football opens as home favorite against Oklahoma

Tennessee Football opened as a 3.5-point home favorite for Saturday’s game against Oklahoma at Neyland Stadium, according to odds released Sunday afternoon by BetMGM. The total is set at 56.5.

The SEC announced Saturday night that the Vols (6-2, 3-2) and Sooners (6-2, 2-2) will be a 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time start on ABC.

The Vols are 4-4 against the spread this season, covering a 13.5-point spread against Syracuse, a 39.5-point spread against ETSU, as a 3.5-point underdog against Georgia and as an 8.5-point favorite at Kentucky.

Since then, Tennessee has failed to cover a 38.5-point spread against UAB, a 7.5-point spread at Mississippi State, a 10.5-point spread against Arkansas and an 8.5-point spread at Alabama. 

The over has hit in six of eight games this season.

Tennessee, coming off the 56-34 win at Kentucky Saturday night, 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. The Vols then won 41-34 in overtime at Mississippi State three, beat Arkansas 34-31 at home two weeks ago and lost 37-20 at Alabama last week.

Oklahoma has lost two of three since 5-0 start

Oklahoma won 26-7 at South Carolina last week, bouncing back from the 23-6 loss against Texas in the Red River Rivalry in Dallas two weeks ago. The Sooners started the season with five straight wins.

Quarterback John Mateer completed 17 of 31 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Ole Miss. Xavier Robinson ran nine times for 109 yards and two touchdowns and Isaiah Sategna III had six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in the loss. 

The Sooners trailed 22-10 at halftime and rallied to take 26-25 lead in the second half, before the Rebels answered with 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee and Oklahoma have played only five times

Tennessee is 3-2 all time against Oklahoma, dating back to 1939.

The Vols won 25-15 at Oklahoma last season in the first game the Sooners played as an SEC team.

Tennessee beat Oklahoma 17-0 on New Year’s Day 1939 in the Orange Bowl. The Sooners won 26-24 in the 1968 Orange Bowl and beat the Vols 34-10 in Norman in 2014.

The 31-24 Oklahoma win in overtime in 2015 is the only game the Sooners have played at Neyland Stadium. 

Tennessee jumped out to a 17-0 lead by the 12:14 mark of the second quarter, but Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield rallied his team and tied the game on a touchdown pass with 40 seconds left. The Sooners won in the second overtime on an 18-yard pass to Sterling Shepard.