Key Points:
- Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt reveals pick for Tennessee-Oklahoma Game.
- Klatt addressed Oklahoma QB John Mateer’s struggles since his hand injury.
- Each team is 6-2, looking to keep SEC title and CFP hopes alive.
The No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers and No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners face off in Week 10. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt recently revealed some of his predictions for some of the week’s biggest games, including this SEC matchup.
Tennessee goes into the game looking to stay hot, after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats in Week 9, while Oklahoma wants to bounce back after losing to the Ole Miss Rebels. Each team is 6-2, looking to keep their SEC title and College Football Playoff hopes alive.
In a video posted to “The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast,” the analyst picked the Volunteers to come out on top.
“I like Tennessee in this game… Tennessee 28-20, they cover the three and a half, “Klatt said. “The Vols, as I talked about in Wednesday’s show, by the way, go back and check out the bracket. I’ve got Tennessee going to the playoff. I think they’re 10-2. This is one of those wins.”
It would be a big win for Tennessee, whose only losses this season have come to the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Joel Klatt Reveals What “Haunts” Him About Oklahoma
In Week 4 against the Auburn Tigers, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer suffered a hand injury, which required surgery and sidelined him for one game. Before the injury, he was playing like a Heisman Trophy candidate. He’d thrown for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. He’d also rushed for 190 yards and five touchdowns.
In Mateer’s three games back, he’s seen a drop in production, throwing for 575 passing yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions. His rushing numbers have also been down with 36 yards and zero touchdowns.
Klatt addressed that, saying, “The thing that haunts me about OU and should haunt OU fans is that Mateer has just not been the same since that hand injury, and it’s something that I warned you against early in this season. Last season, Kurtis Rourke had a very similar procedure done to his hand at Indiana, the quarterback, and he was never the same once he got back out there.”
However, going up against Tennessee is an opportunity for Mateer to bounce back in a big way. The Volunteers’ defense is among the bottom of the SEC, ranking 15th in both total yards per game allowed (401.5) and points per game allowed (30.9).
ESPN’s matchup predictor agrees with Klatt, though, giving Tennessee a 63% chance of winning. Kickoff is Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium, airing on ABC.