Sometimes you've got to go with your gut.

So I'm picking Tennessee to beat Arkansas Saturday.

I know what the statistics suggest, what with the Razorbacks leading the SEC in rushing and the Vols' run defense ranking second worst among the 12 units coordinator John Chavis has coached.

The Las Vegas oddsmakers' pick is documented, as Arkansas is between a 3- and 5-point favorite.

The Razorbacks' history in home games in Arkansas is also a notable reason to pick the Hogs; Arkansas is tied with LSU for most home wins (46) in the SEC since 1998.

Finally, some might think it crazy to pick a team with a redshirt freshman who's making his first start against a team that's won eight in a row and is playing to all but clinch a trip to the SEC Championship Game.

But there's that gut thing prompting a vote here for the Vols.

Believe me, I don't like contradicting myself. After all, before the season I projected UT losses to California, Florida, LSU and Arkansas.

But that was before David Cutcliffe had shown me his mastery of the game, and before the defense had shown its resolve and resourcefulness in the wake of key injuries. And before I saw Jonathan Crompton in a game.

Cutcliffe has had a week to design a game plan around Crompton's skills, and Chavis is among the best at stopping marquee running backs.

Arkansas, meanwhile, seems intent on sticking with its man-to-man coverage despite losing its starting safety to an injury. That means big plays for the Vols.

The Razorbacks have also recently made a quarterback switch, going with a guy who got drilled by Southern Cal and beat out by a freshman.

I'm just not convinced a team can come in and run the ball down Tennessee's throat without some form of the option, a scrambling quarterback or an accomplished passer with at least two good receivers.

So there's the Xs and Os are fueling my pick.

The gut is telling me that coach Phillip Fulmer and the Vols are at their best when facing adversity with backs to the wall.

After three arrests this weekend, and the head coach being called out for his decisions on the discipline, the wagons are circled on Johnny Majors Drive.

Finally, there's Crompton, who's not as accomplished of a passer as Erik Ainge but possesses a fire and determination not seen in some time.

You just sense Crompton can will the Vols to win.

At least, I do.

Key Players: UT: QB Jonathan Crompton, RB LaMarcus Coker, WR Bret Smith, LB Marvin Mitchell; Arkansas: RB Darren McFadden, QB Casey Dick, WR Marcus Monk; FS Kevin Woods.

Over/Under: Crompton 2 TD passes 1 INT; Coker 75 yards rush; McFadden 90 yards rush; Dick 200 yards passing, 2 INT.

Key stat: Third-down efficiency. The team that comes up with sustained drives will win.

Keep an eye on: Tennessee's pass coverage. The Vols will be gambling with a great deal of man-to-man coverage with little safety help to stop McFadden.

GRIFF'S PICKS

Georgia plus-14 over Auburn, Auburn straight-up

Vanderbilt plus two over Kentucky, Vanderbilt straight-up

Florida minus-13 over South Carolina

Tennessee plus six over Arkansas, Tennessee straight-up

Alabama plus-18 over LSU, LSU straight-up

Season record: 52-12 straight-up; 34-32 vs. spread

YOUR QUESTIONS

Q: Running Quarterbacks: Why can't we defend them? I am not one of those crazy-blame-the-coaches-for-every-loss fans; this is a legitimate question. As a high school basketball coach I just don't know enough football to figure this out.

What do we do on Defense that causes us to be so successful most of the time but leaves us vulnerable to running QB's — even one's like Russell that don't usually run? I'm sure it is a tradeoff that allows us to be more successful against other things, but I am curious as to what it is that causes us to struggle so much against them.

This has been a fun team to watch and it looks like it will continue to be ... Two years of Crompton after Ainge graduates looks to be exciting and leave us in better shape than some teams who have had to rely on young QB's.

LivesayN@sumter17.k12.sc.us

GRIFF: I think you answered your own question when you mentioned that LSU's JaMarcus Russell has rarely run up field in the past. Because he hasn't, he's not accounted for in the defensive scheme.

The problem gets even tougher if UT is rushing an extra defender (blitzing), as it was 45 of the 81 defensive snaps. If that blitzer doesn't get there, that's one less man down field with a shot at the quarterback.

Defensive coordinator John Chavis will often trade a few yards for his defense to get a free shot on the quarterback. How many times will an offensive coordinator make that swap? Both South Carolina's Syvelle Newton and Russell likely suffered concussions against UT. To their credit — and discredit of their team's medical staffs — they kept playing.

Russell ended his night a hero. Newton finished his night with a headache and nothing to show for it.

Q: I have recently moved to TN from LA. We were excited to see that LSU played UT this year. We managed to get two tickets for the game. Unfortunately I was not able to attend due to work. So, my wife decided to take my son since he had never been to a college game. My 7-year-old son had to endure being cursed at.

He was told by some TN fans "you must have rode the (expletive deleted) short bus to school" and "are y'all (expletive) retards." Seven years old and listening to grown men scream obscenities at him. Talking trash and good-natured ribbing is one thing, cursing at a little boy and his mother for being opposing team fans is another.

I probably would not think as much about it if it was only one man doing this. My wife accidentally sat in the wrong section. Upon moving, the men were cursing at them more. When coming to their new seat, another group of grown men started the same process of cursing at a little boy with an LSU shirt on. As I have told my story to countless Tennesseans this is apparently commonplace at a TN football game. It is a shame that such a beautiful state and college has such "classy" gentlemen for fans. There were many others that told her that their team played good after the game, so it wasn't every single fan but the ones that will probably stick with an impressionable 7 year old are the ones that had no respect whatsoever for a child and his mother. Thank you UT for such an eye-lifting experience. I'm just glad that karma was good to those rowdy gentlemen.

Mattrat73@bellsouth.net

GRIFF: The most surprising thing in your letter is that other Tennesseans would say this type of behavior is commonplace at Neyland Stadium. Granted, I just walk through the stadium before and after games, but in the aftermath of games, even tough losses like the LSU game, I haven't heard obscenities or seen opposing fans abused.

There are more than 100,000 fans in that stadium, so the odds suggest there will be some bad apples here and there. It sounds like you ran across a few of them.

Neyland Stadium is one of the few stadiums I feel my children are safe in. I have passed up the chance to take my family to a few opposing stadiums because of their reputations, particularly at night games.

It's unfortunate your son's football experience was not a good one, but I would dare say he's more likely to encounter even more problems at other sports events where alcohol is served and state pride is not the factor that it usually is at Tennessee.