We have seen SEC contenders stumble in recent weeks. Teams which began the season with hopes of making a New Year’s Six bowl have torches their aspirations or at least put them on life support.
By Matt Zemek
Follow @14powerscom
Arkansas’ disastrous loss to Texas A&M forced the Razorbacks to beat Alabama to revive their NY6 prospects. They failed, and now a once-promising season has been reduced to rubble. Kentucky let a golden opportunity for a big SEC road win slip away at Ole Miss. The Wildcats still have to play Georgia, so they know they have to win every non-Georgia game on their schedule if they want an NY6 bowl bid. Ole Miss is on schedule. The Rebels’ win over Kentucky has kept their NY6 dreams alive. The other SEC team which hasn’t yet faltered, and is therefore in a great position to achieve something significant in 2022, is Tennessee. The Vols can’t expect to win the SEC East – not with Georgia in their division – but coach Josh Heupel’s team can certainly try to win the 10 games not played against Georgia or Alabama. If the Vols achieve that, they will play in a prestigious January bowl, something the Vols have not done in a very long time (the 2000 Fiesta Bowl against Nebraska).
Winning at LSU is a must. It’s non-negotiable if this proud program wants to reclaim top-tier status. Let’s see what UT has to do in Baton Rouge:
1 – Make Jayden Daniels throw
Jayden Daniels is a great runner and an ordinary passer. Much like Anthony Richardson of Florida – only more so – Daniels can’t be allowed to run in open space. Defenses need to keep him in the pocket and force him to survey the field and make good choices. Daniels struggled at Arizona State when unable to run for big yardage, and his first games at LSU have not changed that dynamic. Florida State, Mississippi State, and Auburn have all contained Daniels. If the Vols can’t do what those other teams did, something will be very wrong.
2 – Hooked On Classics
Hendon Hooker making good decisions with the ball will be a central key in every game Tennessee plays against a reasonably formidable opponent, but it especially applies to SEC road games. Tennessee is fortunate this is not a night game in Tiger Stadium, but a road game is still not a walk in the park. Hooker needs to play like a quarterback who is ready for this moment. He needs to walk into an enemy lair and demonstrate the command of a top-tier field general. We don’t need to talk about the Heisman Trophy; we need to talk about Hendon Hooker being a winning quarterback who takes Tennessee to the next level. That’s what matters.
3 – Knockout punch
Auburn got on top of LSU but couldn’t land a knockout punch. Mississippi State got on top of LSU but couldn’t land a knockout punch. Florida State led LSU for much of the game but allowed the Tigers to hang around. Notice a trend? If Tennessee has LSU on the ropes, it needs to keep its boot on the throat and land haymakers to prevent LSU from having any chance at a comeback.
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