Tennessee
Tennessee baseball weakness exposed by Evansville even if Vols make it to Omaha | Estes
KNOXVILLE – It may feel like it, but the worst hasn’t yet befallen Tennessee baseball. All Saturday did was provide reason to start considering such a demise.
Which was already happening long before Game 2 of this weekend’s NCAA Super Regional ended with Evansville celebrating in Lindsey Nelson Stadium. You could sense that the vibe had shifted. And the Vols were playing tighter. And an atmosphere of quiet tension suggested a gathering of minds at the same destination:
Is this really happening?
Is Tennessee, as the No. 1 overall seed in the country, about to blow another super regional at home? Only this time against a mid-major opponent who opened this NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed in its regional?
Might tiny Evansville actually be pulling off one of the biggest postseason upsets ever in college baseball, making it all the way to the College World Series?
Can’t say it’s impossible. Not anymore.
Not after Saturday’s 10-8 victory over the Vols evened the series and forced Sunday evening’s deciding Game 3.
“Hands down, the greatest win in our school’s history,” said Evansville coach Wes Carroll. “… We’re in rare air. We’re in unchartered waters. But we’re going to come to the yard loose (on Sunday).”
Any notion in Knoxville of Evansville (39-25) as this wide-eyed, charming super regional underdog story no longer applies after the past two days. The Aces have repeatedly been knocked around by the Vols, and they haven’t backed down at all, scrapping and swinging and hanging in there. In Game 1, Tennessee simply had too much.
So in Game 2, when the Vols hinted at more of that, belting three first-inning home runs and chasing Evansville’s starter Donovan Schultz after only 1⅓ innings, it seemed a prelude to the kill.
Who would Tennessee have rather had out there protecting an early 4-0 lead than pitcher Drew Beam?
Except Beam stumbled. He allowed five runs in 4⅔ innings, and his replacements weren’t any better. Vols relievers Kirby Connell, Nate Snead and Andrew Behnke collectively faced 15 batters and allowed eight hits. The Aces scored 10 runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
This tournament, sooner or later, exposes the vulnerabilities of any team.
Saturday was that moment for Tennessee.
Evansville exposed its lack of reliable pitching depth, and even if the Vols advance to Omaha on Sunday, Saturday’s mid-inning stretch is a serious warning flag about their title chances.
Dig Deeper: Tennessee baseball bullpen melts down as Evansville forces super regional Game 3
It was troubling to see Beam – Tennessee’s lone true starting pitcher – fail to make it past the fifth inning for his third start in a row. It was troubling, too, to see hard-throwing Snead hit soundly by the Aces, and for Behnke to enter and promptly give up a two-run homer.
The weight of pitching uncertainty has been there all season for the Vols, though it has been easily carried by the best batting lineup in college baseball.
Except the Vols’ hitters didn’t save this Saturday. After a run-scoring double by Kavares Tears in the fifth inning, Tennessee didn’t get another hit until a bloop single by Billy Amick in the ninth.
Meantime, the Vols went down in order in the seventh and eighth. Cue that quiet tension in the stadium I’d referenced, broken only by the cheers of the purple-clad visitors.
The place did liven up in the ninth inning, when the Vols, trailing 10-5, scored three runs. The late push fell short, but it looms significant for a couple of reasons. There’s momentum for Sunday, of course, but Tennessee also forced Carroll to do something he didn’t want to do. Evansville had to bring in Shane Harris – who’d pitched Friday – to finish Game 2 rather than save him for Game 3.
“Obviously, the game ended in the ninth inning,” Vols coach Tony Vitello said, “but I think (the rally) helped more than our players would even know.”
There was positivity to be taken from Tennessee’s finishing kick. But acute disappointment, too. Because who else would they have wanted at the plate with the bases loaded and two outs than Christian Moore?
Except Moore popped up.
Tennessee left 11 runners on base in Game 2, and nine were credited to the top four hitters in that fearsome lineup: Moore, Blake Burke, Billy Amick and Dylan Dreiling. The Vols were .182 (2-of-11) with runners in scoring position Saturday, while the Aces were .667 (4-of-6) and a sizzling .500 (8-for-16) with two outs.
Days like these happen in baseball. The Vols just can’t have another.
And if pressure was on their shoulders Saturday afternoon, just wait for Sunday night.
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @Gentry_Estes.
Tennessee
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars Prediction: Odds, Best Bets, Player News, Injuries, & Stats for Week 17
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars Preview:
The 3-12 Tennessee Titans are on a four-game losing streak, but they hope to snap it and avenge their early December loss when they head to Jacksonville to take on the 3-12 Jaguars.
Neither team has met expectations this season. Both have had their share of quarterback inconsistencies and injuries. In the first meeting between the two, only 16 points were scored. The Jaguars won that game, 10-6.
Since Doug Pederson took over as head coach, the Jaguars have beaten the Titans four of the last five times they have played. A win this weekend would make it the Jaguars’ second sweep in the last three seasons.
Despite both teams’ horrid seasons, they should see a little optimism as the season ends. They are both in contention for a top-five draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Listen to the Bet the Edge podcast as hosts Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick provide listeners with sharp actionable insight, market analysis and statistical data to help bettors gain more information before placing their wagers. So, whether you’re targeting spreads and totals, looking for value in futures markets or circling player props, give their podcast a listen to give you that extra edge.
How to Watch Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars Live on Sunday:
- Date: Sunday, December 29th, 2024
- Time: 1:00 PM ET
- Site: TIAA Bank Field
- City: Jacksonville, FL
- TV/Streaming: CBS
Latest Game Odds for Titans at Jaguars – Week 17:
The latest odds as of Thursday morning courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Tennessee Titans (-110), Jacksonville Jaguars (-110)
- Spread: Titans -1
- Total: 39.5
NBC Sports Bet Best Bets:
NBC Sports analyst Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) recommends betting on Calvin Ridley over 60.5 receiving yards…
Thomas: “The Titans haven’t been the best team through the air. Will Levis has struggled with consistency; he’s thrown 12 interceptions and just 12 touchdowns. However, the Jaguars love giving up big chunk plays to the wide receivers. Only two teams give up more receiving yards to wide receivers: the Vikings and the Lions.
When the two played earlier in the season, Calvin Ridley was targeted 12 times. He was able to haul in seven of those targets but fell short of the 60.5 mark. I think this week is different. He probably sees a few more deep shots with nothing to lose, which he should capitalize on.”
Titans at Jaguars Team Stats, Betting Trends:
- The Titans have failed to cover in 6 of their 8 road games this season
- The Jaguars have lost 9 of 12 games this season following a defeat
- 5 of the Titans’ last 7 games (71%) have gone over the Total
Quarterback Matchup for Titans at Jaguars:
- Titans: Will Levis – The Will Levis Experiment has not gone as planned for the Titans. He’s yet to make the big leap. This season, his 12 interceptions are more concerning than his lack of big numbers. Ball security should be a point of emphasis in the offseason as he grows to be a better quarterback.
- Jaguars: Mac Jones – Jones has been under center with Trevor Lawrence on the IR. The only win he’s had under center this season was against the Titans in Week 14.
Player News & Injuries:
Titans:
- K Nick Folk (abdomen) is questionable
- RB Tony Pollard (ankle) is questionable
- WR Tyler Boyd (foot) is questionable
- LB Kenneth Murray Jr is on the IR
Jaguars:
- TE Brenton Strange (shoulder) is questionable
- DT DaVon Hamilton (illness) is questionable
- G Brandon Scherff (knee) is questionable
- G Ezra Cleveland (knee) is questionable
- OT Walker Little (ankle) is OUT
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest and tools for the NFL, including game predictions, player props, futures, and trends!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Tennessee
Tennessee Quarterback Enters The Transfer Portal Ahead Of Final Collegiate Season | Rocky Top Insider
Tennessee quarterback Gaston Moore is entering the transfer portal ahead of his final season of eligibility, 247sports Matt Zenitz first reported on Thursday morning.
Moore spent four seasons at Tennessee after originally going to Central Florida out of high school. The Hilton Head, South Carolina native followed Heupel from UCF to Tennessee and worked his way up the depth chart before serving as the backup quarterback in 2024.
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound signal caller completed 16-of-27 passes for 201 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions off the bench in 2024.
Moore played a handful of meaningful snaps for Tennessee during the 2024 season. He came in for one play in the first half against Alabama, throwing an interception on a third down deep ball. After Nico Iamaleava went into concussion protocol against Mississippi State, Moore came in at halftime and completed five-of-eight passes for 38 yards while also picking up a handful of pass interference calls.
More From RTI: Tennessee Football’s Complete Season PFF Grades
Moore also played garbage time snaps in Tennessee’s lopsided wins over Chattanooga, Kent State and UTEP. The walk-on quarterback played sparingly in his first three seasons at Tennessee but didn’t attempt more than 10 passes in any of those seasons.
Despite having already spent five seasons in college Moore still has one more year of eligibility remaining. The signal caller spent the 2020 season at UCF which didn’t count against his eligibility due to COVID-19 eligibility relief. Moore then redshirted the 2021 season at Tennessee meaning only three seasons counted against his eligibility.
Without Moore, redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Merklinger and incoming freshman George MacIntyre will compete for Tennessee’s backup quarterback spot behind Nico Iamaleava.
JACKSON, Tenn. — It’s Christmas, the time of the year when travel gets busier as people move to and from their holiday destinations.
Christmas is underway and the holiday travel is in full affect across the region.
Here in West Tennessee, many are traveling for the holidays. A report from the Automobile Association predicted that more than 119 million Americans have at least 50 miles to travel for end of the year holidays. One traveler tells what their Christmas experience means to them.
“For me it was getting to be with family. I have sisters and stuff that I went to visit. One of them invited us up for dinner so, even though it’s a two-and-a-half hour drive, it’s always good to see family,” said Andrew Knox, traveler.
Knox says the Christmas menu did not disappoint this year.
“We had greens, macaroni and cheese, stuffed shells, dressing, ham, chicken wings — BBQ and plain, it was off the chain,” said Knox.
We asked about their end of the year reflections and what they expect for the new year.
“Grateful to have my wife with me of 17 years, my best friend and stuff, so I’m grateful that everybody is doing well. The family is doing well and that’s the main thing. Just so much to be thankful for and I just want everybody to be kind to each other. That’s all I would hope for the new year coming,” said Knox.
More than half of holiday travelers will return home on the same night. Airlines expect their busiest days to be on friday and Sunday, December 27 and December 29.
“We drove up this morning and we’re on our way back home now,” said Knox.
If your looking for last minute holiday attractions, see our 2024 Guide to the Holidays in West Tennessee.
For more news in the Jackson area, click here.
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