The Oklahoma Sooners and Tennessee Volunteers are set for a big-time matchup on Saturday night and these three players will be key to victory.
The stage is set Saturday for a terrific ball game between the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners.
The storylines are plentiful, with Josh Heupel’s return to Norman leading the way.
Oklahoma and Tennessee are in a spot where this game is the first serious test for either team this year. It also begins the conference slate for both squads.
Media and betting pundits have the Sooners as the underdog, with Tennessee the overwhelming favorite to win the game. With that in mind, which players will be the difference makers for Oklahoma and help them pull off the first major home upset for the Sooners since 2008 versus Texas Tech?
Danny Stutsman, LB
Picking [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] as a player to watch feels shallow, but there’s a specific reason. He is the team’s leader, and this is the season’s biggest game.
Tennessee’s running game is potent. They are currently the nation’s No. 3 rushing attack. Stutsman is at the center of the nation’s No. 22 run defense, and as a linebacker, he will be tasked with flowing to the ball and making tackles.
Da’Jon Terry, Damonic Williams, and Jayden Jackson will all play pivotal roles as well, but a team captain and the vocal leader of this defense needs to show up in a big way in what is a monumental game.
Nic Anderson, WR
Saturday is expected to be [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]’s first game of the season. He fought injuries all offseason and is finally ready to contribute to an Oklahoma offense deprived of consistent playmakers.
He immediately slots back in as a starter, and play-caller Seth Littrell will open things up with a proven threat like Nic Anderson for Jackson Arnold to depend upon. How he responds to his first bit of game action will be vital, but if Anderson can provide one or two big plays, they could go a long way in helping the Sooners pull off an upset.
Jacob Sexton, LT
Jacob Sexton may have the single most challenging matchup on Saturday as he will likely be the tackle opposite of projected first-round pick James Pearce for most of the evening on Saturday.
It will not be easy, but Sexton will have to give Jackson Arnold a chance on Saturday. Tennessee boasts a ferocious and deep defensive line, so Sexton will face challenges regardless of who lines up across from him on Saturday night.
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