The third Saturday in October brings the latest Alabama-Tennessee showdown, and this one comes with both teams sitting at 5-1. Alabama, ranked No. 6, heads into Neyland Stadium looking to change a trend that has gone Tennessee’s way in Knoxville the last two times the Crimson Tide have traveled there.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly sees Alabama doing just that. His SP+ projection has the Crimson Tide winning 30-26 on Saturday, a result that would line up with a close game and give Tennessee a cover at +8.5.
That prediction came as part of Connelly’s Week 7 SP+ picks, where he also projected Ohio State over Indiana 26.4-26.2, Ole Miss over Missouri 28.2-27.8, Notre Dame over BYU 28-24, LSU over Mississippi State 35-23, Oregon over Nebraska 30-24, Houston over Oklahoma State 31-26, Texas over Florida 35-19, Georgia over Auburn 34-15, Miami over Florida State 40-16 and New Mexico over Hawaii 35-13.
For Tennessee, a win would carry major value for its College Football Playoff case. Josh Heupel’s team has not beaten a ranked opponent this season, going 0-1 so far, and the Vols have only two more chances on the schedule to notch such a win, against Kentucky and LSU.
Alabama, meanwhile, is trying to keep its season from sliding into back-to-back losses and protect some room for error as the schedule tightens. The matchup is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on ABC.
In Other News...
Tennessee Gets A Crucial Shot To Flip A Coveted CB Recruit
A big recruiting weekend is lining up in Knoxville, where Tennessee will host cornerback target Preston Glasco as the Volunteers prepare to face Alabama. Glasco has trimmed his list to Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia, and the timing gives Josh Heupels staff a chance to make one more impression on a player they have clearly kept in the mix through a competitive race.
Glasco has already set Oct. 28 as his commitment date, and Alabama is viewed as the team to beat heading into the visit. For Tennessee, the backdrop is hard to ignore: getting a coveted defender on campus for a game of that magnitude offers a real chance to change the tone before he makes his decision. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Defense Could Catch A Huge Break Against Alabama
Alabamas offense may be dealing with a significant question up front heading into its matchup with Tennessee, and it starts at center. Racin Delgatty suffered a lower-body injury in a recent game, leaving his status uncertain as the Tide prepare for one of the SECs toughest road tests.
If Delgatty cannot go, backup center Mal Waldrep is the next man up, and that would be a spot Tennessee will be watching closely. The Volunteers have gotten strong play from Xavier Gilliam this season, and any disruption in Alabamas interior protection could give Tennessees defense a chance to press an advantage in a game where every small edge matters. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Could Catch A Huge Break Against Alabama In Neyland
Alabamas offense may be walking into Neyland Stadium a little thinner than expected. Ryan Coleman-Williams, one of the Crimson Tides most important receiving threats, was hurt in the loss to Georgia and is likely to be sidelined for the upcoming matchup with Tennessee, a development that would matter for a passing game that has leaned on him heavily this season.
Coleman-Williams has given Alabama a dependable target and a big-play option, with 415 receiving yards and four touchdowns already on the year. If he is indeed unavailable, it could force the Tide to reshuffle how they attack Tennessee, and that kind of late-week adjustment is the sort of break the Volunteers would happily take in a rivalry game this size. [Read more 🡒]