SEC football predictions: Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava to play vs UConn; LSU beats Alabama | Adams
Tennessee fans should be excited about Saturday’s game against Connecticut at Neyland Stadium.
Because it’s homecoming? Don’t be silly.
Because the Lady Vols and UConn are playing a preseason women’s basketball game before the football game? That matchup can't happen before the NCAA Tournament.
The fans' anticipation should be about the future of Tennessee football. They might get to see five-star freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who has played just enough to remind you he’s not in witness protection.
His playing time could pick up considerably against an overmatched opponent in UConn. In a game the Vols should have firmly in their grasp by halftime, starting quarterback Joe Milton should be able to take most of the second half off.
And fans should be able to take a long look at Iamaleava, who is projected as the quarterback of the future.
Tennessee 41, Connecticut 7: Rushing stats are a good indicator of what a mismatch this could be.
The Vols rank seventh nationally in rushing yards per game. The Huskies rank 97th in run defense.
Translation: UT’s three running backs — Jaylen Wright, Jabari Small and Dylan Sampson — could pad their stats. But Tennessee shouldn’t forget about the passing game, which Milton directed so effectively in Saturday’s victory over Kentucky.
The Vols will need all the offense they can muster the next two weeks against Missouri and Georgia.
Georgia 40, Missouri 23: The better the opponent, the better the two-time defending national champion Bulldogs seem to play.
That was true last season, and it has proven true again. Kentucky entered the Georgia game with a 5-0 record. The Bulldogs won 51-13. Florida entered Saturday’s game 5-2. Georgia beat the Gators 43-20.
Against lesser opponents, Georgia has produced lesser results. It beat Vanderbilt by 17, South Carolina by 10 and Auburn by seven.
Missouri is the best team the Bulldogs will have played. You know what that means.
LSU 34, Alabama 27: As good as the Tide’s defense is, it’s not as good as LSU’s offense. And despite the Tigers' struggles on defense, the Tide might not score enough to keep up.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is in the running for the Heisman Trophy. If LSU beats Alabama, he should become the front-runner.
Daniels is averaging 386.8 yards per game to lead the nation in total offense. He’s almost 20 yards per game ahead of Washington’s Michael Penix, who ranks second.
Ole Miss 27, Texas A&M 20: When Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin watched Aggies video, he probably thought about all of the havoc he could create with their elite receiving corps.
Meanwhile, Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher continues to waste his offensive talent. It's baffling that Texas A&M can’t get more production from such a talented roster.
The Rebels' offense has encountered serious problems only against Alabama. And their defense is good enough to handle the Aggies' offense.
Florida 31, Arkansas 24: If you noticed the Razorbacks had an open date, you’re spending too much time on college football. By sitting out Saturday, they succeeded in not extending their six-game losing streak.
This could be the biggest game of the season for the Gators. They need one more victory to be bowl eligible. The rest of their schedule tells you that will be hard to come by.
South Carolina 30, Jacksonville State 20: The way the Gamecocks' season has unraveled, coach Shane Beamer is probably angry enough to kick something. Oh, wait, he has kicked something.
As he limps along the sideline with a broken foot, he’s a great metaphor for South Carolina’s struggles. Both the injuries and losses are piling up.
Auburn 34, Vanderbilt 20: In one of the more surprising developments of the season, the run-oriented Tigers discovered a passing attack. Quarterback Payton Thorne completed 20 of 26 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns against Mississippi State.
Perhaps that was an aberration. If not, Auburn will have too much offense for the Commodores.
Most teams do.
ADAMS: Joe Milton starting to win over readers and why I'm predicting Final Four for Tennessee
Kentucky 31, Mississippi State 27: The Bulldogs couldn’t contend with Thorne’s passing, so they could be in big trouble against the Wildcats. Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary is coming off a career game against Tennessee.
Record: 65-10 (.867), 39-22 (.639) against the spread.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: SEC football predictions: Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava to play vs UConn
