College Football Friday Facts: 10 Gameday Predictions for Oregon-Tennessee

Tomorrow kicks off an amazing weekend of college football. Among all the big games being played tomorrow is Oregon heading south to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers. This will be the first matchup between the two schools and is sure to be an exciting game.

This game also marks the return of LaMichael James, who has served his one-game suspension and is ready for game action.

Last week against New Mexico, I was .500 on my predictions, including the prediction that Kenjon Barner would have over 200 yards of offense in limited playing time.

Time to take a look at this week's facts.

Kenjon Barner Out-gains LaMichael James

LaMichael James will be making his first start this Saturday after serving his one-game suspension. James is an incredibly talented back but will be getting back into the flow of things. Barner, on the other hand, already has had a one-game warm-up in which he was able to run wild. Look for both backs to have great games, but for Barner to put up more yards.

Rob Beard Misses First FG Attempt

Another Duck making a return to the field this week will be kicker Rob Beard. Beard also served a one-game suspension against New Mexico but will be on the field this week. While Beard is a solid kicker, look for him to come out and miss his first field goal attempt of the game.

Tennessee QB Matt Simms Throws More Picks Than Touchdowns

Matt Simms will be making his third career start this week and the level of talent takes a huge step up. His previous game was against Tennessee-Martin, a team that will certainly not prepare him for the Ducks defense . The Ducks are going to look to test the young Tennessee offensive line by blitzing all game long, which should rush him into quick decisions. Simms will be forced to throw on the run, which could lead to a few interceptions.

Darron Thomas Picked for Second Straight Week

Along with Matt Simms seeing an increase in opposition, Thomas will not be lining up across from New Mexico this week. Thomas will be tested by the crowd this week and having your first road start be at Neyland Stadium is a tall order. Thomas could let the crowd get to him early, leading to another interception.

Jeff Maehl Is First Ducks Receiver With Touchdown Reception

In the first game against New Mexico, Darron Thomas found David Paulson and Kenjon Barner for touchdowns but the wideouts were left off the scoring page. This week, Jeff Maehl will be the first Duck receiver to haul in a Darron Thomas TD pass.

Both Defenses Give Up Points This Week

Yeah, I know, really going out on a ledge—but both teams are coming off of shutouts this past week. Oregon beat up on New Mexico 72-0 and Tennessee took care of Tennessee-Martin 50-0. This week, both teams have too much talent to keep the other off the scoreboard.

Oregon Leads the Way in Penalty Yards

Heading on the road for the first time this year, Oregon may run into some issues in terms of penalties. Whether it be false start, illegal procedure, or maybe even personal foul penalties, the Ducks will likely lead the way in this category.

Thomas Rushes for 75+ Yards

Last week, this prediction could not have been more wrong. Not only did Thomas not rush for 75 yards, he never rushed the ball at all. Throughout the game, Thomas had many opportunities to keep the ball on the option-read play, but chose to ride the hot hand with Barner. This week, the Tennessee D may look to force Thomas to run, which may be the beginning of the end for them.

Three Different Duck Players Rush for a Touchdown

With the amount of running depth Oregon has, LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, and Darron Thomas will all find the endzone on rushing attempts. Tennessee will be looking to force Thomas into throwing the ball, but the Oregon offensive line will continue to open up big holes for the running game.

Final Score

Before the season began, I predicted that Oregon would win this game 27-23. After one week, the result of the game hasn't changed in my mind but the score has. With the injuries that have piled up at wideout for Tennessee, the Vols will have a hard time moving the ball. The Ducks will blitz all game and will run, run, run the ball. The success that the Ducks will have on the ground will allow them to take the crowd out of the game and earn a great road victory.

Final Score: Oregon, 45-17