Postgame: Tennessee at Pittsburgh
What a game.
In the pregame newsletter I said it was time for Tennessee to win a game that they weren’t necessarily expected to win. Yes, according to Vegas they were technically favored to win by about a touchdown. But betting lines are just one data point, and for as accurate as Vegas can be they don’t always get it right. Note the three Sun Belt teams that knocked off Power-5 opponents this weekend, two of which were ranked inside the AP Top-10.
The Tennessee Vols went on the road against a ranked, Power-5, non-conference opponent – not to mention defending ACC Champion – and came away with the victory. That’s awesome. When was the last time a Tennessee team did something like that? My friend Will Warren had that stat after the game:
This is Tennessee's first true road win against a Top 25 non-conference opponent since Miami in 2003.
— Will Warren (@statsbywill) September 10, 2022
Will is the best college hoops writer that I know. I'm sure you already follow him if you read this newsletter given both of us emphasize Vols content, but if you don't you need to correct that right away!
Goodness. I hate to admit it, but 2003 was a long time ago. This was a big win for the program. I think it’s evident that the team thought so as well, based on the postgame reaction. So how were the Vols able to pull it off?
Well, I’ll tell ya!