Every Tennessee fan over 30 has a Fayetteville story, and none of them end well. No win in Razorback Stadium since 2001, four straight losses there. So naturally, that’s where a redshirt freshman from Brentwood Academy got his first career start.

The quarterback

George MacIntyre came off the bench against Auburn with the offense stuck on three points, went 8-of-10 with no turnovers, and Tennessee won 24-14. One quarterback’s seven drives produced three points. MacIntyre’s seven produced 21. That’s not a controversy. That’s an answer.

The real story: the defense

Last year Tennessee gave up nearly 29 a game. Then came Jim Knowles, and five games in the Vols led the nation with 23 sacks, on pace for about 55. Texas, the No. 1 team at the time, scored 20. Auburn scored 14. Xavier Gilliam was playing like the best Tennessee defensive tackle since the Henderson and Haynesworth days.

The pick

Arkansas was 2-3 in a rebuilding first year and had been outscored 122-34 by Georgia, Texas A&M and Utah. I’d called the Auburn game to the point, 24-14, and was 2-0 against the spread. I laid the 13.5 and predicted 38-10.

The streak died: Tennessee won 24-17. But it took a fourth-quarter comeback, and seven isn’t 13.5. I got greedy, and I said so the next week.

Pick: Tennessee -13.5 (predicted 38-10) · Result: Tennessee 24, Arkansas 17 (won, didn’t cover) · Vols against the spread: 2-1

Read the full column at TriStar Daily: A BA Kid, a 25-Year Curse and a Two-Touchdown Line

For entertainment. Lines as of the day the column ran.