[rmjvol]

The #13 ranked Tennessee Vols have a lot of question marks as we get ready for the UT vs Arkansas game this weekend.

The Erik Ainge injury looks like it might keep him out of another game. Jonathan Crompton looked talented but inexperienced in relief against LSU. Crompton might do well but a healthy Ainge is definitely a better option.

The Vols running game hasn't been great this year and it just took another hit. Starting running back Arian Foster was among 3 Vols arrested after the UT vs LSU game for fighting at a local bar. Fulmer will surely suspend him and might kick him off the team.

Arkansas is ranked #11 after beating Steve Spurrier and South Carolina in Columbia last weekend. A win over TN is a must for the Razorbacks if they want to get 1 step closer to winning the SEC West.

ESPN2 will show the game at 7pm eastern on Saturday from Fayetteville, Ark.

Let's hear your thoughts & predictions for the UT vs Arkansas game. I'm picking the Vols to win (what did you expect?) but I'm not near as confident as I'd like to be. This one is gonna be close.

[UTvolsforlife]

Arian Foster....why would you do that?!?!? It'll be a close game. Hopefully Ainge will be fully recovered. Should be a good game though.

UT: 28
Arkansas: 21

[rmjvol]

Houston Nutt's really brought Arkansas along. I can rember when I used to think of the Razorbacks in the same ballpark as Vandy & Kentucky... they would occasionally jump up & upset the Vols but they were supposed to be a fairly easy win on our schedule. But not anymore.

With the way things are going in the SEC, pretty soon we'll be seeing SEC champs with 2 or 3 conference losses because all the teams are so strong.

[UTvolsforlife]

it's such a tough conference, arkansas has really upset quite a few teams this year...I'm actually looking forward to this game.

[rmjvol]

Alot of news on the UT Arkansas game...

ESPN

ESPN College GameDay will be set up in Fayetteville for the game. Our last game at a College GameDay site was our Oct 28 win over South Carolina at Columbia. Fowler, Herbstreit, Lee Corso & Desmond Howard will be live from 9am til 11am Central time.

Get GoVolsGo.com on TV: Get $100
I'll give $100 to anyone who gets a "GoVolsGo.com" banner/sign/flag clearly visible for me to see on TV during the 9-11am GameDay show. If I can read "GoVolsGo.com" on my TV, prove it was yours & I'll give you $100. Maybe send me a picture of you with the sign as proof. More than 1 "GoVolsGo.com" sign gets on TV? I'll give the $100 to whoever I think does the best & $50 to the runner up.

Aigne Out
Sounds like Ainge is out for this game due to his ankle injury.

Arkansas Running Game
Fulmer says: "It's easy to identify Arkansas' strength, which is the running game. They have outstanding tailbacks and probably the best offensive line we face this year. They are starting a more mature quarterback. We need to avoid the big plays to Marcus Monk, their outstanding receiver."

[aparke10]

this game is going to be another gut wrenching, nail biting event for us. HOPEFULLY, the vols will pull through however. I can see it going into OT too. Remember that wonderful 6 OT game i believe it was??...yeah i was about to kill my remote by the end of that game!! lol

UT over Ark 28-21

[KENVOL]

I don't know if Tennessee can beat Arkansas. They proved that they couldn't stop the run against LSU. I still can't believe Tenn. quit on the last drive against LSU. I guess that I'm still a little down about that but if they start quitting they will not beat Ark. and once you start it is very easy to continue. So I really don't think Tenn. can win. But I'm Still Pulling For Them.GOOOOOOOOOOO Vols.

[rmjvol]

VOLS MAKING EARLIER DECISION ON QB; COKER EXPECTED TO PLAY :: McBride this week's CAREacter Star Athlete of the Week

Fulmer said he expects to make a decision Thursday on the starting quarterback for Saturday's SEC encounter at Arkansas.

The Vols coach revealed that last week's process of a game-time decision on the health and availability of junior Erik Ainge would not be repeated. Ainge, who injured his ankle Oct. 28 at South Carolina, started Saturday's game against LSU but was limited to only three series before giving way to redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton, who went the rest of the way.

"I think it was unsettling for Erik," Fulmer said. "I think it was unsettling -- after going through it -- for Jonathan and it was unsettling for David (Cutcliffe). Now (Jonathan) has played. Now everybody knows what he can do and everybody can play around his strengths.

"We also know better the limitations we have if it is Erik."

Fulmer added that redshirt freshman LaMarcus Coker likely will see action for the first time since injuring his knee Oct. 21 returning a kick against Alabama. Despite missing the last two games, Coker still leads Tennessee in rushing with 393 yards and a 6.3-yard rushing average.

"He's way ahead of where we thought he might be," Fulmer said. "He'll play."

That's good to hear. While I wish Ainge would be 100% and play the whole game, I'm inclined to think we should go with John Crompton the entire game and let Erik rest up.

Coker will be a big help especially with Arian Foster being one of 3 Vols Arrested for Fight after the UT vs LSU game. Anybody know if he's supposed to be 100% or not?

[KENVOL]

Looks like Ainge is out for Arkansas. I really think we may have a better chance with Crompton. Coker is suppose to be back and that should help. It is going to be a hard game for us. I hope we can pull it out. If we were at home I think we would win. Being at Arkansas I don't know.

[rmjvol]

It's official. Jon Crompton will start as QB for UT vs Arkansas.

"Erik looks like he will be able to go, but Jon will start. Jonathan has gotten most of the work with the ones this week, and I think he has continued to make progress," Fulmer said.

"He is a young guy who is going compete as we saw in the ballgame last week. It's important that he doesn't go out there and make mistakes, those are the things that get you beat."

More info here:
VOLS NAME CROMPTON STARTING QB; SMITH AMONG FIVE GAME CAPTAINS :: Wilhoit, Ainge Selected to Academic All-District Team

[rmjvol]

SI.com report calls it Arkansas by 6 points.

Three things you should care about

1) The Volunteers are eighth in the SEC against the run, while no SEC team moves the ball better than Arkansas.

2) Jonathan Crompton will be making his first career start, but expect the Volunteers to rely heavily on the passing game with so much uncertainty in the backfield.

3) Casey Dick could be the missing piece for the Hogs 101st-ranked passing game.

The pick

The only question that really matters: Can the Vols slow down McFadden and the Razorbacks ground game? In a word: no. The Hogs, who must win two of their last three to win the SEC West, will take a step closer to the conference title game. Arkansas by six.

[tvolsfan]

I say 35-21 Vols.

[rmjvol]

That would be great but I just don't see us winning by that margin.

I do look for a high scoring game since we've got no running game. I'll hope for a 28-26 win for the Vols.

[rmjvol]

Not looking good for the Vols. 28-7 at the half. Arkansas has pretty much been able to do what they want.

One bright point for UT is that we seem to have found some bit of a running game. I don't know but I'd guess we've got close to 80 yards on the ground so far. But I'd rather have an extra 3 TDs...

[UT Vols News]

Jonathan Crompton threw two touchdown passes to Robert Meachem and Bret Smith for both Tennessee scores as the No. 13 Volunteers fell to the No. 11 Arkansas Razorbacks, 31-14, at Razorback Stadium.

Darren McFadden ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass, leading No. 11 Arkansas to a convincing 31-14 victory over No. 13 Tennessee on Saturday night.

The Razorbacks (9-1, 6-0) can clinch a spot in the Southeastern Conference title game with a win next weekend at Mississippi State. They've won nine straight since a season-opening loss to Southern California -- their longest streak since 1988 -- and when this one was over, the crowd began chanting "BCS."

Suddenly, a spot in the national championship game for Arkansas doesn't sound far fetched

VOLS FALL AT NO. 11 ARKANSAS, 31-14