Tennessee vs Pittsburgh Odds, Lines and Picks

• Tennessee is a 6.5-point road favorite over Pittsburgh on September 10th at 3:30pm ET at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA
• The Volunteers trounced Ball State 59-10 in Week 1, while the Panthers got past West Virginia 38-31
• Read below for the Tennessee vs Pittsburgh odds, analysis and a betting prediction

The SEC is the most dominant conference in college football. Six of the AP’s preseason’s top-25 teams hailed from the SEC, while two more programs were among the top-four teams on the outside who received the most votes.

One of those teams on the outside looking in was Tennessee, but judging by the respect they’re getting in the college football lines, it might not be long before they move inside the top-25.

The Volunteers are fresh off a blowout victory in Week 1 over Ball State, and opened up as near touchdown favorites on the road in Week 2 against #17 Pittsburgh.

Tennessee vs #17 Pittsburgh Odds

Odds as of September 6th at Barstool Sportsbook.

Tennessee are currently 6.5-point favorites, in a contest that features a total of 65.5. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30pm ET on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, with ABC providing the broadcast coverage.

As of Tuesday morning, the betting public is all over the Vols. 71% of the against the spread bets and 77% of the ATS money is backing Tennessee.

Tennessee Volunteers Betting Analysis

It’s hard to blame bettors for jumping on the Volunteers bandwagon after what we saw in Week 1. Tennessee routed Ball State 59-10, led by two Hendon Hooker touchdowns with his arm, and two more with his legs.

Hendon Hooker in Week 1:

🍊 18/25 ATT
🍊 234 total yards
🍊 2 passing TDs
🍊 2 rushing TDs pic.twitter.com/EOx7FHo4Tr

— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 2, 2022

Hooker finished with 222 yards and a 72% completion percentage through the air, and another 12 yards on the ground. And he did it all in just two and a half quarters.

Hooker’s now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 13 straight games, the second longest streak in program history. He’s also led the Tennessee offense to 45 or more points in four straight games. If he keeps this up, he’s going to be a fast riser in the Heisman Trophy odds.

The Volunteers finished with 569 yards of offense, averaging 10 yards per pass, while scoring five rushing TD. Defensively, they held the Cardinals to 4.9 yards per play, picking them off twice and also recovering a fumble.

Pittsburgh Panthers Betting Analysis

Pittsburgh meanwhile, enters play after an emotional 38-31 victory over West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers rallied to score two touchdowns in the final 3:41 to snatch victory from defeat, punctuated by an M.J. Devonshire pick-six.

M.J. DEVONSHIRE PICK-SIX!!!!!@Pitt_FB TAKES THE LEAD 😱 pic.twitter.com/BmX4jT6SVP

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 2, 2022

Offensively, USC transfer QB Kedon Slovis’ final stat line may look strong (308 passing yds, TD), but his night was plagued by inconsistency. He was sacked five times, and nearly all of his 16 completions were short throws. He rarely found success downfield and the reason his passing total looked so strong was because the Pitt receivers generated 173 yards after the catch.

The juke. The speed. The balance.

The play before THE play.

What an effort by @IAbanikanda 👏#H2P 🎥 @ESPN pic.twitter.com/kO8NDp6nDt

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) September 2, 2022

Granted, the Panthers’ receivers are extremely talented, but Slovis is going to have to push the ball vertically against the Vols if he wants to keep pace with Hooker and company.

Defensively, Pittsburgh struggled to stop the run yielding 5.8 yards per carry, but were excellent defending the pass. They held JT Daniels to a 57.5% completion percentage on 40 throws, generated three sacks and forced two turnovers.

Tennessee vs Pittsburgh Pick

The Panthers are 3-0 all-time versus the Volunteers with the latest victory being a 41-34 decision last year in Tennessee. The Vols’ defense looked great in Week 1 versus an overmatched Ball State, but don’t forget this unit ranked 99th in points allowed last season.

Pittsburgh will fiind success offensively, and we should expect Slovis to be more aggressive. The Panthers’ offense ranked seventh per SP+ prior to the season starting, and the explosive plays will come.

The way Hooker is performing lately, it’s hard to envision Tennessee suffering a letdown offensively. He’s accounted for at least three touchdowns in eight of his past 12 contests, while the Vols’ ground attack put up 218 yards in Week 1 after averaging the 11th most rushing yards in the nation last season.

The captain Hendon Hooker is balling tonight. Our king 🔥🔥🔥https://t.co/yIoNcXiQFl

— Macrodosing (@MacrodosingPod) September 1, 2022

At this point, an over/under of 65.5 is just too low for this matchup. Tennessee saw 10 of its 13 games in 2021 eclipse the total, while eight of their past 10 contests have hit at least 65 points. This one should as well.

Pick: Over 65.5 Points (-120)