Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tenn.

Kickoff: noon (SEC Network)

Records: UConn 1-7, Tennessee 6-2

Last game: UConn lost at Boston College, 21-14, Saturday; Tennessee won at Kentucky, 33-27, Saturday

Series: First meeting

Players to watch: UConn, r-jr. QB Ta’Quan Roberson (115 for 199, 1,275 yards, 8 TDs, 3 ints), so. RB Victor Rosa (78 carries, 405 yards, 2 TDs), so. RB Cam Edwards (71 carries, 362 yards, 3 TDs), r-sr. OL Christian Haynes, grad WR Brett Buckman (31 catches, 335 yards, 1 TD), r-jr. WR Cam Ross (31 catches, 338 yards, 1 TD), so. TE Justin Joly (26 catches, 319 yards, 1 TD), r-jr. DT Jelani Stafford (27 tackles, eight for loss, 1 fumble recovery, six rushing TDs), r-so. DE Pryce Yates (29 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks), sr. LB Jackson Mitchell (team-best 81 tackles, 1 int.. 1 fumble recovery for a TD), grad LB Noah Plack (40 tackles, 4.5 for loss), jr. DB Durante Jones (51 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 sack), r-jr. George Caratan (45.3 yards per kick, ranking 26th in the nation)

Tennessee, r-sr. QB Joe Milton III (258 rushing yards, 1,763 passing yards, 13 TDs), jr. RB Jaylen Wright (713 rushing yards, 2 TDs), so. RB Dylan Sampson (376 rushing yards, 7 TDs), sr. RB Jabari Small (415 rushing yards, 2 TDs), So. WR Squirrel White (462 receiving yards, 1 TD), sr. WR Ramel Keyton (331 receiving yards, 3 TDs), so. DL James Pearce Jr. (16 tackles, 10 for loss, a team-best 7 sacks), sr. DE Tyler Baron (19 tackles, 5 sacks), so. LB Elijah Herring (a team-best 51 tackles), sr. LB Aaron Beasley (48 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 2 sacks), r-sr. K Charles Campbell (15 for 17 FGs), sr. PR Dee Williams (17.7 return average, 1 TD)

Noteworthy: UConn has dropped 11 straight road games against ranked opponents, last winning at No. 19 Louisville, 23-20, in 2012.

Quoteable: “Our goal is not to just go down there and play in that environment, it’s to compete to win,” coach Jim Mora said. “This is one of the best teams in college football. It’s going to be a great challenge for us. I think everybody is very anxious to go out there and compete their tails off.”

Four down territory

• The Huskies will have leading rusher Victor Rosa back in the backfield. Rosa missed the BC game with an ankle injury. His return should give the running game a boost and lighten the workload of sophomore Cam Edwards, who ran for a team-high 89 yards last week.

• Containing Tennessee’s powerful running game will be vital for the Huskies to have any shot at staying close. The Volunteers lead the Southeastern Conference and rank seventh in the nation in rushing yards per game at 221.8. Junior Jaylen White is the team’s top rusher, averaging seven yards per carry (8th in the nation).

• UConn’s offensive line will be challenged to protect quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson against an attacking defense. Pearce Jr. and Baron have combined for 12 sacks, two more than the enter Husky team. The Volunteers have racked up 29 sacks overall.

• An improving defense has forced nine turnovers in the last four games, helping give the offense good field position. The Huskies have allowed 22.5 points in the last two games.

Extra points: UConn guaranteed itself a losing record with last week’s loss. … Huskies are 2-6 all-time versus SEC competition, with wins against Vanderbilt in 2010 and South Carolina in the 2009 PapaJohns.com Bowl. … Tennessee is averaging 31.8 points per game, allowing 20.4. … UConn is 0-1 versus ranked teams this season, falling to No, 18 Duke, 41-7, on Sept. 23 in East Hartford. … Jackson Mitchell ranks 13th in the nation in tackles per game at 10.1. He needs seven tackles to move past Maurice Lloyd (412 tackles from 2001-04) and into fourth place on the program’s all-time list. … UConn’s only win this season came on the road – 38-31 at Rice on Oct. 7.

–Gavin Keefe