The No. 1 team in the country is almost always favored in their weekly matchups, unless the team they are facing is good enough or that team's home-field advantage provides too big an obstacle for the top team to overcome.
Neither of those things is expected to apply as the No. 1 Texas Longhorns head to Knoxville to face the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers.
All offseason, the Vols have boasted their home-field advantage, saying the Horns haven't played in a setting like Neyland Stadium at Rocky Top. Well, it looks like the oddsmakers in Vegas aren't all that worried about the crowd noise getting to the top-ranked Horns in Week 4, and have Texas waltzing to a fourth-straight victory to start the year.
Opening odds for No. 1 Texas vs. No. 14 Tennessee
This Saturday, the Longhorns are projected to defeat the Volunteers by 5.5 points, with the point total set at 55.5 combined points.
- Spread: -5.5 Texas, +5.5 Tennessee
- Moneyline: -210 Texas, +172 Tennessee
- Over/Under: +/-55.5 points
Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
The moneyline is set relatively low, with a $210 bet on Texas only reaping a $100 profit if the Horns pull off the expected win. Meanwhile, a $100 bet on Tennessee would see someone walking away with an extra $172 if the Vols pulled off the upset.
Despite the lore behind Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, the game was set for an 11 a.m. kickoff, taking away some of the usual crowd-created distractions that come with an afternoon or nighttime kickoff.
How to watch Texas Longhorns vs. Tennessee Vounteers in Week 4
- Date & Time: Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. CT
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
- TV/Streaming: ABC, fuboTV
While the Vols are undefeated, just like the Horns, and have secured a few blowout victories over opponents like Furman and Kennesaw State, Tennessee doesn't have anywhere near the same resume as Texas, with the Longhorns defeating the then-No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes just over a week ago.
That's a big part of why the Vols continue to be ranked so much lower than the teams at the very top of the national rankings, like Texas, despite having a 3-0 record to their name.
Texas vs. Tennessee football series history
The two SEC teams have only played twice in their lengthy histories, with the Longhorns walking away victorious from two of their previous meetings.
- Series record: 2-1 Texas
- First meeting: Jan. 1, 1951 (Cotton Bowl), Tennessee won 20-14
- Most recent meeting: Jan. 1, 1968 (Cotton Bowl), Texas won 36-13
Texas and Tennessee have not shared a football field since 1968. All three of their previous matchups have taken place in Dallas, TX, at the Cotton Bowl, with the Horns winning the two most recent games.
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