Cal eyes payback against Tennessee, banged-up Ainge
A few good quarterbacks have taken snaps for Tennessee, the best being Peyton Manning about 10 years ago. Erik Ainge is trying to follow in Manning’s footsteps.
Ainge has a ways to go, obviously. The senior broke a finger on his throwing hand while taking snaps in practice this week, and that qualifies as a step in the wrong direction.
It is possible to throw a football with a broken right pinkie. So Ainge’s injury might not be a factor Saturday when the Volunteers open the season at California.
But if Ainge is off just a little, Tennessee could be in a lot of trouble.
The Golden Bears, 6-point favorites in Berkeley, are loaded and ready to avenge an epic embarrassment.
It does not take a member of Mensa — the organization for quantifiable geniuses — to figure out the home field can be a huge advantage in college football.
The Volunteers had it last year, playing in front of 106,009 fans, and rolled to a 35-0 lead in a 35-18 victory over Cal. Now it’s time for some payback.
The Bears are 18-2 straight up in their past 20 home games, with 14 of those wins coming by double digits. They went 7-0 last year, winning each game by at least seven points.
Tennessee is 3-7-2 against the spread in its past 12 road games.
The other dilemma for Vols coach Phil Fulmer is that he has just 11 returning starters, one of them being a quarterback with only nine good fingers.
Cal has eight returning starters on offense, including junior quarterback Nate Longshore and one of the nation’s fastest receiving corps, led by DeSean Jackson.
Bears coach Jeff Tedford, an aggressive play-caller, will have enough tricks up his sleeve to pull out a 10-point win.
Here are four more plays for the first Saturday of the season (home team in CAPS):
• OREGON (-15) over Houston: The Ducks have plenty of firepower with senior quarterback Dennis Dixon and junior running back Jonathan Stewart. The Cougars are breaking in a new QB in a tough spot. In 12 years, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti is 25-1 at home against nonconference opponents.
• Missouri (-4) over Illinois: Nine offensive starters return for the Tigers, led by quarterback Chase Daniel. The Illini are improved but probably overrated and will fall short in a shootout in St. Louis.
• Arizona (+4) over BRIGHAM YOUNG: Wildcats quarterback Willie Tuitama is operating a new Texas Tech-style spread offense, and coach Mike Stoops’ defense returns nine starters. Sophomore Max Hall gets his first test as the Cougars’ quarterback.
• TOLEDO (+7) over Purdue: The Boilermakers boast more offensive talent than Ohio State, but can coach Joe Tiller put a respectable defense on the field? The Rockets are dangerous home underdogs.
Last season: 51-45-4 against the spread
Review-Journal sportswriter Matt Youmans can be reached at 387-2907 or myoumans@reviewjournal.com.
