No. 6 Volunteers Face Tough Road Test at No. 15 Oklahoma

David Stone | Oklahoma Sooners Football — © BRYANTERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN/USATODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) welcome the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers to Norman, Okla., at 6:30 p.m. EST on Sept. 21.. This will be the fifth meeting all-time between two college football giants, but the first as a Southeastern Conference game. The Sooners hold a 3-1 edge in the matchup history.

What's at Stake?

For the Sooners, the eyes of the football world will be on Norman in this matchup of to two Associated Press (AP) Poll top 15-ranked teams. Leading up to this season, many questioned whether the Sooners were SEC-ready. This game will answer many of those questions. The Sooners also need answers for themselves on offense, as they have struggled at times to get things going on that side of the ball. The defense will have the test of the best offense it has seen to date.

For the Volunteers, their path to an SEC championship starts here, and a loss could put a chink in the armor of belief. Like most in the SEC, the Volunteers have a daunting schedule ahead of them, including No. 2 Georgia (3-0) and No. 4 Alabama (3-0). A loss to the Sooners in their first actual road test of the season could bring doubt that they could secure a spot in the SEC Championship game or even the new 12-team College Football Playoff.

Key Players for Sooners

Again, the key player for the Sooners on offense is that entire offensive line. The Volunteers defensive front is good, like scary good. The patchwork offensive line may return center Branson Hickman. Injuries have made guys play in spots they are not accustomed to, but if there is some continuity with a possible starting lineup of Jacob Sexton at left tackle, Heath Ozaeta at left guard, Hickman at center, Febechi Nwaiwu at right guard and Michael Tarquin at right tackle. If the offensive line plays well, the Sooner offense will play well.

Defensively for the Sooners, the reigning Bronko Nagursgi National Defensive Player of the Week is R Mason Thomas. Thomas showed he can take over a game, as he did in the final quarter in the Sooners' victory over Tulane (1-2) last week. Thomas closed the game with 3 sacks and a forced fumble and recovery. Thomas and the Sooner defense will give the Tennessee offense looks it has not seen this year and will try to put them in negative players and keep them behind the chains.

Key Players for Volunteers

Offensively for the Volunteers, many national pundits would lead you to think that quarterback Nico Iamaleava is the key. While he is critical, the key to the Volunteer's success on the offensive side of the ball is running back Dylan Sampson. Coach Joseph Heupel loves to run the ball and uses multiple formations, like two tight end sets and counters, to pound the opposing team. If the Volunteers can run the ball against a Sooners defense that only allows 2.2 yards per carry, that will open things up for Iamaleava and the passing attack to take shots down the field.

Defensively, the Volunteers need their prime-time player to shine in prime time. James Pearce Jr. needs to wreak havoc on the Sooners and keep quarterback Jackson Arnold nervous and his clock sped up to force errors that could lead to turnovers and short fields for the Volunteers' quick-strike offense. A future NFL player, Pearce Jr., has all the abilities to take a game over, and he must be on the road against the best team they have played this season.

What's Trending

For the Sooners, defense is trending. One of the best defenses in the country, the Sooners are skilled at tackles for a loss and creating turnovers. If this continues, it could spell success for the Sooners. The defense needs to be the best it has been in over two decades and keep this hyper-paced offense slowed down. If the defense makes big plays, the Gaylor Family Memorial Stadium will be rocking, and it may spoil Heupel's homecoming.

For the Volunteers, offense is the trend, with weapons all over the ground that can score from anywhere and at any time. The Volunteers' offense is the stuff that gives defensive coordinators nightmares. Iamaleava needs to lead this offense in a hostile environment for the first time and handle adversity at some point. If Iamaleava can keep levelheaded and lead this offense, it would be a huge boost for the Volunteers as the SEC season kicks into full swing.