Tennessee
vs.
App State
College Football Pick
Current Odds
9/1/16
The Tennessee Vols will open up 2016 by hosting Appalachian State on Thursday, September 1st. The Vols opened as 23.5 point favorites at betonline sportsbook way back in June. but that number has recently been bet down to -20. The current posted total is 57.5.
We get the line move on App State. This team is no cupcake. They were 11-2 a year ago losing to Arkansas State and losing earlier in the year when they stepped way up in class to face Clemson. That one went to Clemson 41-10.
The Vols appear to finally be on the rise. It was once customary to see the Vols with 10+ win seasons. After an uncharacteristic run of mediocrity between 2008 and 2014, the Vols once again looked like a force a year ago, going 9-4 and losing by just 7, 1, 4 and 5 to Oklahoma, Florida, Arkansas and Alabama. Loaded with returning starters, it would appear as though every Game on their dance card is winnable. But first, they have to deal with pesky App State. App State was 11-2 a year ago, 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference, losing only to Arkansas State.
Games like this for a program like Tennessee are never easy. This Game is HUGE for Appalachian State. The exposure (and money) they’ll get just for playing the Game is enormous. But if they were to win, or even simply give the Vols a good Game, it’s a recruiting home run.
Anyone remember 2007? Yeah, that’s when Appalachian State rolled into Ann Arbor and knocked of the Michigan Wolverines 34-32.
As mentioned above, last year App State stepped up in class and took on Clemson in their 2nd Game of the season. The end result was a 41-10 setback. We see a similar result here and the Vols give us good reason to see things that way. Much weaker Tennessee teams took apart similar opponents the past few years. See Below:
Vols 59-Bowling Green 30
Vols 38 Utah St 7
Vols 34 Arkansas St 19
Vols 52 Western Kentucky 20
The Tennessee Vols should have their strongest team in a decade and coach Butch Jones has shown that he can get his team ready for exactly this type of Game. The Vols won’t overlook App State. It may be close for a bit, but the Vols should win this one going away. Tennessee -20