No. 6 Alabama heads to Knoxville this weekend with a lot on the line, and the matchup at Tennessee brings three issues into sharp focus before kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
The first is simple enough: the Crimson Tide needs to avoid dragging the Georgia game with it into Neyland Stadium. Around the program this week, the message has been, “Don't let Georgia beat you twice,” and that idea hangs over the trip.
Alabama came close against No. 1 Georgia, but now it has to turn the page quickly because a loss to Tennessee would make its path to the College Football Playoff and the SEC title game a lot less secure.
Alabama is still in position for both, but the 12-team playoff format does not make those goals automatic.
Kalen DeBoer made the reset sound like the priority on Monday. “For us now, we just gotta pick up, and we gotta move on,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said Monday.
“We gotta have great meetings today. We gotta have a great mindset and energy tomorrow.
Coaches putting together a plan, and let's go execute it. We know we're going into a great environment.
Coach [Josh] Heupel's done another great job this year of putting a team together that's in the hunt and playing a high level of football, especially as a team. And we gotta go there.
We understand what this game means to our fan base and the energy that all surrounds that.”
The second storyline is Alabama’s offensive line. The Tide has already handled two road trips this season without a starter up front: Michael Carroll missed the Week 2 game at Kentucky with a concussion, and Jayvin James was out two weeks ago at Mississippi State.
Now there’s another potential issue. Starting center Racin Delgatty was listed as “questionable” on Wednesday night’s availability report, and if he can’t play, Alabama has options ready.
Junior Casey Poe is listed behind him on the depth chart, while DeBoer said it would be Poe or Mal Waldrep Jr. at center. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said it would be Waldrep, who has also filled in at guard when needed.
“Mal takes a ton of reps there,” Grubb said Monday. “Does a really good job, smart, tough, dependable. He'll do a good job.”
That matters because Neyland Stadium is expected to be loud, and Tennessee enters the game leading the SEC in sacks. Alabama has already been tested on the road without pieces of its line, but this is a different level of noise and pressure.
The third piece is Tennessee’s quarterback situation, which is still unsettled. Freshman Faizon Brandon won the job to start the season and opened the first five games, but injuries changed the picture.
Brandon was hurt in the Week 4 loss to Texas and then aggravated the injury the following week against Auburn. Sophomore George MacIntyre replaced him against Auburn and started last week’s win at Arkansas.
Brandon was also listed as “questionable” on the availability report.
Whoever starts, Alabama may be facing a young quarterback in the biggest outing of his college career. Tennessee does have a real weapon to lean on in DeSean Bishop, one of the SEC’s top backs.
Bishop ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns against Alabama last season, more yards than any single running back managed against the Crimson Tide in 2025. This year, he’s second in the SEC at 113 rushing yards per game.
That puts pressure on Kane Wommack’s defense to slow the run and make the Tennessee quarterbacks win it through the air. Alabama has been vulnerable on the ground at times, giving up more than 200 rushing yards in two of its first four SEC games, so controlling Bishop and the Vols’ rushing attack could shape the whole night.
Tennessee needed a late touchdown to edge Arkansas last week, while Alabama’s latest test went down to the wire against Georgia. Now the Tide heads into a rivalry game in a place where it has lost the last two times it played.
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Nick Saban Backed Alabama But His GameDay Warning Stood Out
ESPNs College GameDay spent part of its pregame spotlight laying out the weekend board, with Pat McAfee, Steve Young, Nick Saban, Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit each making their official picks and weighing the strengths and concerns around several marquee matchups. The discussion ranged from BYU over Notre Dame, a choice McAfee and Young both backed, to the SEC showcase in Knoxville, where Alabama was the preferred pick for most of the panel.
Saban did stick with the Crimson Tide in that one, but his commentary carried a different kind of edge than a simple pick sheet endorsement. As the crew worked through the game, the former Alabama coachs warning about what could decide the outcome stood out, a reminder that even when he believes in his old team, he is still quick to point out the sort of challenge that can turn a big Saturday into a stressful one. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Sees One Real Threat In Alabama's Trip To Neyland
The build-up to Alabamas trip to Neyland Stadium has plenty of familiar edge, but Nick Saban pointed to one area that could matter most when the No. 6 Crimson Tide meet No. 16 Tennessee in Week 7. On College GameDay, the former Alabama coach broke down the Volunteers defensive strengths and highlighted a unit that can limit scoring, defend the pass and get after the quarterback, all traits that can disrupt an offenses rhythm in a hurry.
For Alabama, that means the usual SEC road-game questions are suddenly about more than noise and history. If Tennessee can force the Tide into longer drives and tougher third-down situations, the game could turn into a far tighter battle over possessions than rankings suggest, with the Volunteer defense shaping the kind of afternoon Alabama gets at one of the conferences most demanding venues. [Read more 🡒]
Kalen DeBoer Knows Whats Threatening Alabama In Knoxville
At halftime in Knoxville, Alabama finds itself locked in a tight, physical game with Tennessee, trailing 12-10 despite a first-half showing that has kept the Crimson Tide within reach on the road. The difference has been small but meaningful, with kicker Cooper Ranvier accounting for four field goals for the Vols while Alabama has had to lean on a defense that has bent without fully breaking.
Kalen DeBoer pointed to the same issues that have shaped the half for both sides: turnovers on offense and the pressure of a game being played with very little room for error. Keelon Russell has had his struggles with the ball, even as he provided Alabamas only touchdown, and the Tide defense has managed to force Tennessee into field goals rather than seven points while still being outgained overall. [Read more 🡒]