Tennessee vs. UTSA: Game information, notes, storylines

Opportunity presents itself for Tennessee on Saturday.

Coming off a 29-16, SEC-opening loss at Florida a week ago, the No. 23 Vols (2-1) host UTSA (1-2) at Neyland Stadium, looking to shake off an uncharacteristic start offensively.

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Penalties, dropped passes and a struggling offensive line has hindered Tennessee's ability to replicate the success it had during an 11-win season a year ago but the Vols enter the weekend as 21.5-point favorites vs. a Roadrunners team that has had their own share of issues through three weeks.

Here is a closer look at the matchup.

Who: UTSA (1-2) at No. 23 Tennessee (2-1)

Where: Neyland Stadium | Knoxville

When: Saturday | 4 p.m. ET

TV: SEC Network (Dave Neal, play-by-play; Derek Mason, analyst; Taylor Davis, reporter)

ESPN Matchup Predictor: Tennessee, 86.3%

Line: Tennessee -21.5

Series History: First meeting

-- Tennessee is 13-3 at Neyland Stadium under Josh Heupel, outscoring opponents 738-339 in those games. The Vols enter Saturday with a 10-game home win streak, their longest streak since winning 23-straight between 1996-2000.

-- Through three games, Tennessee has had seven players make their first career starters with the Vols with three on offense in running back Jaylen Wright, tackle John Campbell Jr. and guard Andrej Karic. On defense, linebacker Elijah Herring has made two-straight starts while defensive back Gabe Jeudy-Lally started vs. Florida last week.

-- Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III had his streak of 248 consecutive passes without an interception snapped in the first half against Florida. It was his first interception since transferring from Michigan in 2021. It was the ninth-longest streak in SEC history.

THE VOLREPORT SHOW: Can Tennessee bounce back vs. UTSA?

-- Milton has thrown at least one touchdown pass in seven consecutive games and has completed at least one pass of 50-plus yards in eight of his last 12 games. He connected with Bru McCoy for a 55-yard touchdown vs. Florida.

-- Tennessee will play UTSA for the first time in program history. The Roadrunners began playing football in 2011. The Vols hold a 44-4 all-time record vs. teams currently in the American Athletic Conference.

TENNESSEE:

Joe Milton III, QB

Stats: 62-of-97 passing, 716 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT, 49.5 QBR

Jaylen Wright, RB

Stats: 41 carries, 296 yards, 7.2 YPC

Bru McCoy, WR

Stats: 12 receptions, 166 yards, 1 TD

Aaron Beasley, LB

Stats: 20 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 TFL

THE VOLREPORT SHOW: Previewing UTSA with Stephen Whitaker of BirdsUp.com

UTSA:

Frank Harris, QB

Stats: 44-of-73 passing, 423 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INT, 46.6 QBR

Eddie Lee Marburger, QB

Stats: 17-of-26 passing, 239 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 50.4 QBR

Kevorian Barnes, RB

Stats: 51 carries, 245 yards, 1 TD, 4.8 YPC

Joshua Cephus, WR

Stats: 24 receptions, 247 yards, 2 TDs

205.5: The average number of rushing yards Tennessee has posted in three games, which ranked second in the SEC and 25th nationally.

2: The ranking for total rushing yards by Jaylen Wright among league running backs this season. Wright has rushed for nearly 300 yards with 7.2 yards per carry. He ranks only behind Mississippi State running back Woody Marks.

32: The number of tackles for loss that the Tennessee defense has recorded this season. It ranks second in the FBS. Linebacker Aaron Beasley leads the team with 7.0 TFL for 30 yards.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Key takeaways: Vols' run game looks to regroup after Florida performance

12: The ranking of Tennessee's offense on third down conversions among SEC teams. The Vols have struggled to extend drives in its first three games, converting just 40% on their third downs.

383.0: The average number of total yards for the UTSA offense in three games. The Roadrunners ranked 73rd in the FBS in total offense and average 5.42 yards per play.

128.7: The average number of rushing yards the UTSA defense has allowed this season. The Roadrunners are relinquishing nearly three yards per attempt.

Offensive line woes: Tennessee's front struggled against Florida, giving up a sack and three TFLs while committing several pre-snap penalties. The Gators' pressure effected the Vols' passing game as Joe Milton III faced pressure for much of the game. The group has been without starting center Cooper Mays since early in fall camp but Mays has practiced with the team the last three weeks and will be a game-time decision vs. UTSA.

Confidence in Milton: The Tennessee offense has clearly taken a step back since leading college football in nearly every statistical category a year ago. A number of factors have led to decrease in production, but the coaching staff continued to express its confidence in Milton this week, citing his ability to operate the offense. Milton was 20-of-34 passing for 287 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Florida.

Emphasis on fundamentals: Tennessee's defense looked like its most improved unit in the first two games but took a step back at Florida. The Gators blew the game open in the first half in part because of missed tackles. The Vols missed 11 tackles, with 10 coming in the secondary.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Vols OC Joey Halzle shuts down QB controversy, shows faith in Joe Milton

Returning to form: Tennessee leaned heavily on its run game vs. Virginia and Austin Peay but it was largely a non-factor vs. Florida, totaling 106 yards. That was in part due to penalties early in drives that forced the Vols offense into and-long situations. Leading rusher Jaylen Wright looks to get back on track while the coaching staff hopes to get Dylan Samspon more involved after getting no carries last week.

Quarterback uncertainty: UTSA featured arguably one of the best quarterbacks on Tennessee's schedule in Frank Harris, but its unclear if he will play against the Vols on Saturday. Harris has been limited with an injury and is currently questionable. Back up Eddie Lee Marburger started against Army, accounting for 239 passing yards and three touchdowns in a 37-29 loss.

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