Tennessee Volunteers vs. Missouri Tigers Complete Game Preview

By the time the Tennessee Volunteers traveled to Missouri to take on the eventual SEC East champions last year, most around the league knew Maty Mauk's name.

After his 277-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 31-3 rout of the Vols, they found out what the then-freshman signal-caller could do.

Whether with his arm or on his feet, Mauk was extremely difficult to stop.

This is a new season. Some things remain the same, such as the Tigers being right in the thick of the division race and the Vols needing wins (in this case one) to become bowl-eligible. 

But some are vastly different. The defensive speed that had been a major issue with UT last year has gotten significantly better in 2014. The Vols couldn't pressure the quarterback last season, and now, they'll be on the same field with the only team that has done it as well as them.

Mauk proved against Texas A&M he is still tough to stop, but his sophomore season hasn't gone as smoothly without the weapons. The Joshua Dobbs who is playing this season isn't the same turnover-prone freshman Mizzou confused last year. 

This is going to be a battle, and it has major SEC East ramifications and big bowl factors, too. Let's take a look at everything you need to know about this pivotal matchup.

Date: Saturday, Nov. 22

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Place: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee

TV: SEC Network

Radio: Vol Network, Tiger Network

Spread: Tennessee by 3.5 points, according to Oddsshark.com.

Tennessee Keys to Victory

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Dobbs Being Dobbs

Sophomore rising star quarterback Joshua Dobbs looked human at times against Kentucky, overshooting open receivers on a couple of occasions.

But he was yet again an electrifying playmaker through the air and on the ground. At least five or six times, Dobbs escaped pressure that would have resulted in a sack of Justin Worley. Almost every time, not only did Dobbs gain positive yardage, he made a big play.

At this point, it's unclear whether he'll throw up that clunker of a game some expect. Is he really this good?

If Dobbs struggles at any point this year, it'll probably be against Mizzou. Shane Ray and Markus Golden are two dynamite defensive ends who apply relentless pressure. They're as good as any UT will face. But if Dobbs can keep his jersey clean, plays are there to be made downfield.

The Tigers are seventh in the league in pass defense.

If the sophomore from Alpharetta, Ga., continues at the same pace he's been playing, the Vols are going to pull out the win.

Keep Edges Clean

Nobody is better than the Vols in tackling opponents behind the line of scrimmage. UT has 78 tackles for a loss so far in what has been an incredible turnaround season on that side of the ball.

But Mizzou is right behind them, tied with Ole Miss at 73.

That's because of the two men mentioned above, Ray and Golden. Ray especially is having an incredible season, tied with UT freshman phenom Derek Barnett with 18 tackles for a loss and leading the league with 11.5 sacks.

Tennessee's offensive line has allowed just three sacks since the mobile Dobbs entered the picture, but this will be the biggest test of the year. If Kyler Kerbyson and Jacob Gilliam can minimize the pressure Dobbs faces, Tennessee wins.

Stop Career Days

First, it was Amari Cooper. Then, Pharoh Cooper. Now, even in UT's 50-16 demoralization of Kentucky, the Wildcats had a wide receiver with a career day.

Javess Blue had a career-high six catches for a career-high 131 yards, according to official game notes posted by UKathletics.com. Blue accounted for exactly half of Kentucky's total yards.

What is it going to take for the Vols to shadow teams' best receivers with Cameron Sutton? They've got to keep Bud Sasser from breaking out, or it's going to become another shootout.

Missouri Keys to Victory

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Russell Showing Muscle

The three-headed balanced rushing attack of Missouri has failed to produce many memorable performances this year, but junior Russell Hansbrough certainly put one together against Texas A&M.

Hansbrough finished with 199 rushing yards and two touchdowns against a porous Aggies defense, giving them a surprising ground attack right before heading into Neyland Stadium for yet another tough road test.

He had touchdown runs of 45 and 49 yards against A&M, which is reminiscent of his big-play performance against UT last year where he averaged nearly nine yards a carry and had a 26-yard scoring run.

If he can get loose for some big plays, Mizzou will be tough to beat. The Vols will be without starting safety Brian Randolph, who is their big-play stopper on the back end, for the first half after a targeting penalty against Kentucky. That could loom large.

Maty Nice

Maty Mauk has shown flashes of his game-breaking potential, but he also has been really bad at times.

The 6'0", 200-pound sophomore signal-caller has thrown 10 interceptions already, tied for the most by any SEC starting quarterback along with Dak Prescott and Dylan Thompson. He also has run for just 299 yards all season.

Also, the Tigers are 12th in the league in passing yards per game, finding it difficult to replace all that receiving talent Mauk had last year. When the quarterback can get to the edge, he can make big things happen, but he isn't consistent.

If he can minimize mistakes, he can be the difference in this game.

Tennessee Players to Watch

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Justin Coleman

Nobody on Tennessee's roster is having such an unexpectedly strong rebound season as safety LaDarrell McNeil, but a close second is Coleman.

After struggling terribly on the outside throughout his career, the senior nickelback has thrived from being moved closer to the middle of the field. He's seventh on the team in tackles, has three interceptions and is a force as a blitzing cornerback.

The sure tackler had perhaps his career game against Kentucky, hitting quarterback Reese Phillips and forcing him to throw a wobbler that was intercepted by Brian Randolph and returned for a touchdown. Then he got a pick of his own.

Coleman still struggles defending the deep ball, but this is a big game for him because he helps so much containing edges. If he has a big game, UT's defense will be strong.

Derek Barnett

Not only is Barnett having an historical season with a conference-leading 18 tackles for a loss, but his nine sacks is third in the league to fellow freshman Myles Garrett and Mizzou star Shane Ray.

Repeating: Barnett is just a freshman.

Now, the player who plays every down with a mean streak and a chip on his shoulder will be on the same field as Ray, a player who is neck-and-neck with him in a lot of categories. Barnett is going to want to prove he's the better player.

One may think Mauk would be tough to sack, but the Tigers have already allowed 15 this year, so he has gone down some. It's very important Barnett and Curt Maggitt get deep penetration, keep Mauk in the pocket and ultimately get to him.

Marquez North

The Vols didn't need their sophomore top target against Kentucky, so he played just one series before retiring to the sideline to rest his banged-up shoulder.

But UT will need all the weapons it can get against Mizzou. North's 6'4" frame is a mismatch in most situations, even against the Tigers' taller corners. With Von Pearson, Pig Howard and Jason Croom all playing well and the Vols getting the ball to their tight ends, there are enough weapons to do fine if North isn't 100 percent.

It sure would be nice to have him, though. North has been banged up for much of the past three games, and given that he's best friends and roommates with quarterback Joshua Dobbs, we've all heard of how great their rapport is. It would be nice to see that translate into touchdown catches.

Missouri Players to Watch

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Maty Mauk

A lot already has been said about the Tigers quarterback, but when you account for so much of their offense, it's necessary to discuss him.

And Mauk has been really good and really bad at times this year.

He's become a bit of a polarizing figure this year, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune's David Morrison in his statistical analysis of the quarterback. But one thing can't be argued with amid his poor decision-making: He has been a winner. He's 10-3 as a starter.

Mauk has been far from impressive this year, completing just under 53 percent of his passes for 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and he hasn't been as much of a running threat. Will that continue against the Vols, or can he keep Mizzou in the game?

Bud Sasser

The SEC's two leading receivers—Amari Cooper and Pharoh Cooper—absolutely obliterated UT's secondary. Laquon Treadwell, the third-best receiver, was kept in check.

Now, the Vols get another test on the perimeter with senior Sasser, who has grabbed 52 passes for 701 yards this season.

Though he's lingered in the shadows of all those stars Mizzou had the past four years, he has taken advantage of his chance to shine this season. Will he be the next wideout to have a breakout game against the Vols?

Markus Golden

Shane Ray has (rightfully) gotten most of the headlines this year with his monster year, but none of it would be possible without Golden, who may be just as good of a pro prospect.

Even with Michael Sam and Kony Ealy's phenomenal 2013 seasons, Golden was arguably more productive in fewer snaps. Extra attention on him frees Ray up to make big plays.

But Golden is projected to be a second- or third-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, according to NFLDraftScout.com, and he's going to have a long career in the pros.

The Vols must game-plan for Ray, but they can't forget about Golden, because he can make game-changing plays, too.

What They're Saying

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After rolling up 587 yards and four third-quarter touchdowns to propel the Tigers over Texas A&M, Missouri coaches were excited about a stagnant offense getting on track.

Never mind that it was against one of the worst defenses in the country. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Dave Matter:

“This is the kind of the game we’ve been waiting for for a while,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said.

Added offensive coordinator Josh Henson:

"

It's the best we've played as an offense overall this year. You just look at the numbers. We talked all week this week about having our best game that we've played this year on offense. We were going to need that to contribute to a team victory.

"

Junior receiver Von Pearson said a little more than what is historically perceived as toeing the line Saturday night when he said of the upcoming game, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel's Dustin Dopirak:

"I feel sorry for Missouri. We're hot right now, and we're ready to explode."

Given the things coach Butch Jones said independently of that comment, though, that swagger may not be a bad thing. Pearson's comments echo what Jones has seen from his team in recent weeks:

"Belief is a powerful thing," Jones said. "Confidence is a powerful thing, and our players have that."

And this…

"I finally felt that edge, that confidence, that belief in our preparation. I could also feel it at the hotel in Columbia. It had an aura about it. I felt it for the first time here. I felt the energy. I felt the vibe. I felt the confidence."

Prediction

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Very few would have expected the Tennessee Volunteers to be favorites in this game a few weeks back.

Then, Josh Dobbs happened.

Now, UT is a totally different team, and Vegas books anointed the Vols as the favorites when the opening lines came out Sunday. Even though Mizzou is battling for a spot in Atlanta's SEC Championship Game and the Vols are merely battling for a bowl berth, this one is anybody's game.

The Tigers went to Kyle Field and dispatched a Texas A&M team that had just gone to Auburn and upset the defending national runners-up. Really, the MU-A&M game shouldn't have been as close as the seven-point final deficit, either.

But this is the same Missouri team that beat Kentucky and Vanderbilt by just 10 points apiece. The Tigers have really struggled on offense at times this year, and Tennessee's defense is solid.

The Vols have scored 95 points in their past two games, and after a bye week, their defense looked fresh-legged and revitalized against Kentucky. The only reason why UK put up 16 points is because it was on the field so much after quick-strike UT touchdowns.

Nobody wants to play the Vols right now, and who can blame them? But Mizzou isn't scared after winning this past weekend in a hostile environment. This one is shaping up to be fun, but the Vols are confident right now and clicking on both sides of the ball.

So, we'll stick with the hot hand.

Prediction: Tennessee 34, Missouri 30