The Oregon Ducks were crowned Big Ten Conference Champions on Saturday night and were awarded the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff on Sunday morning. With the top seed, Oregon will receive a first-round bye in the playoff, watching from home as both the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers fight for a chance to meet the Ducks in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
While the Ducks have already played Ohio State this year, it’s been over a decade since they saw the Volunteers on the field. At this point in the year, the Buckeyes also have a different roster and outlook than they did in their Week 7 trip to Eugene.
While Oregon enjoys the next three weeks off, we felt it would be a good time to examine the potential opponents and learn what the Ducks could face.
Here, we’ll look at the Tennessee offense, beginning with one of the most talented QBs in the country.
Quarterback
Nico Iamaleava: 12 games | 199-of-303, 2512 yards, 19 TDs, 5 INTs
Two years removed from being recruited as the No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2023, it’s clear Nico Iamaleava is one of the most talented QBs in college football. With mobility, a strong arm, and accuracy, there are no weaknesses to Iamaleava’s talent, but 17 games into his college career, Iamaleava is looking for consistency.
Like many young college quarterbacks, consistency is one of the hardest things to achieve — because it comes with time. On any given Saturday, the defense opposite Iamaleava is either going to see the best gunslinger in college football or an average quarterback.
Against Ohio State’s elite defense, Iamaleava may struggle. He played an SEC schedule all year, but the Buckeyes’ defense has a strong case for best in the country. If the Volunteers advance to face Oregon — another top defense — it could be more of the same.
Running Back
Dylan Sampson: 256 carries, 1485 yards, 22 TDs, 19 catches, 141 yards
While Iamaleava has had some ups and downs for the Tennessee offense, running back Dylan Sampson has been the poster child for consistency. And with an average of 21.3 carries per game, the Volunteers have called upon him a bunch.
Sampson’s rushing yardage and touchdown numbers both lead the SEC, and if Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty hadn’t made the Doak Walker vote a formality this season, Sampson may have drawn some consideration.
In big games this year, Sampson rose up, averaging 5.3 yards per carry against Alabama and Georgia. In those same games, Sampson finished with over 100 yards on the ground and three combined touchdowns.
Wide Receivers
Dont’e Thornton: 25 catches, 647 yards, 6 TDs
Bru McCoy: 35 catches, 432 yards, 2 TDs
Squirrell White: 33 catches, 364 yards, 2 TDs
The top man in the Tennessee Volunteers receiving room is a face familiar to the Oregon Ducks. Dont’e Thornton played at Oregon in 2021 and 2022 before transferring to Tennessee. Last season, Thornton was still getting off the ground in Knoxville, but this season he’s been great. His 25.9 yards per catch leads the SEC.
Behind Thornton are two more talneted receivers: Bru McCoy and Squirrell White. Both have been efficient this season, catching around three passes each game, both for over 10 yards per catch. These are Tennessee’s top three wideouts, but the Volunteers like to do things by committee in the passing game, so there are other players to watch for.
Tight Ends
Miles Kitselman: 21 catches, 296 yards, 4 TDs, 1 rushing TD
Besides Thornton, Miles Kitselman is Iamaleava’s most reliable target in the passing game. Kitselman’s breakout came in the latter half of the Volunteers season, as he racked up 15 of his 21 catches (71.4%) and 218 of his 296 yards (74.7%) in the month of November.
Offensive Line
Tennessee’s offensive line is best described as good but not great. On the interior, the Volunteers have three decent blockers in Cooper Mays, Javontez Spraggins, and Andrej Karic — against the run and the pass. At the tackle spot, things get a bit shakier. This year, Iamaleava has been sacked 24 times.
Would Josh Heupel love a face lift for the offensive line? Of course, but it also hasn’t been a glaring issue for Tennessee. The sack numbers aren’t great, but this is also the group that supported a nearly 1500-yard, SEC leading, rushing season from Sampson.
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