Nick Saban didn’t wait until Saturday’s College GameDay appearance to size up Tennessee-Texas. On Friday afternoon in Knoxville, the former Alabama coach broke down both sides of the matchup on the Pat McAfee Show, and his read on Josh Heupel’s offense was especially sharp.
Saban said Heupel is a “master” at adjusting to what the defense shows him. His focus started with Tennessee’s ground game, which he said has been a major reason for the Volunteers’ success.
“The one thing that Tennessee does and they’ve had tremendous amounts of success is - everybody talks about the young quarterback, but they haven’t put a lot of the guy. They have run the ball so effectively,” Saban said.
“And this spread offense that they run, where you’re so spread out, it’s really hard to disguise what you’re doing on defense. Heupel is a master of taking advantage of whatever he sees out there.
This go fast and go slow again (offense); it’s not always go fast, and he wants to see what you’re in and get in the best play. So that’s going to be a challenge.
I know Will (Muschamp) is doing a great job on defense for Texas, but they’re going to have to stop the run and make this freshman quarterback make the plays in the game to win the game.”
When the conversation shifted to Texas on offense, Saban pointed to Tennessee’s ability to limit damage through the air. At the same time, he flagged the explosive runs the Volunteers have allowed and questioned whether Arch Manning can stretch the field.
“On the other side of the coin, Tennessee hasn’t given up a lot of explosive plays in the passing game,” Saban said. “They’ve only had two plays that are plus-20 yards in three games in the passing game.
But they’ve given up a lot of explosive runs. So, is Texas going to be able to run the ball, control the ball that way?
Because Arch hasn’t been very good at throwing the ball down the field so far this year, even though he’s been pretty good at throwing the short stuff and the screens. But to make explosive plays down the field - which if you’re running the ball, opens the window for that.
I don’t know if Texas can take advantage of that or not.”
Saban’s history against Josh Heupel’s Tennessee teams includes a 2-1 record, with wins in 2021 and 2023 and a loss in 2022. After retiring from coaching following the 2023 season, he moved into his current role as an ESPN GameDay host.
Tennessee enters Saturday’s game as a 4.5-point underdog on DraftKings. The line opened with Texas favored by 7 points before moving toward the Volunteers over the past week.
More of Saban’s thoughts will come Saturday morning on College GameDay. The “pit” outside Ayers Hall opens at 6:30 a.m.
ET, the show begins at 9:00 a.m. ET, the first two hours air outside Ayers Hall, and the final hour moves inside Neyland Stadium ahead of the Noon kickoff.
Johnny Knoxville will be the guest picker.
No. 14 Tennessee hosts No. 1 Texas at Noon ET on Saturday.
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Inge has been an important part of Tennessees recent defensive work, helping guide a unit that has developed into one of the teams strengths and played a role in the growth of linebackers such as Arion Carter. For a staff that leans heavily on continuity and communication, his absence is a significant situation to monitor while the program waits for more clarity. [Read more 🡒]
College GameDay Is Bringing Another Big Stage Moment To Tennessee
Tennessee is getting another national showcase this weekend, with ESPNs College GameDay set to broadcast from the University of Tennessee campus before the Volunteers matchup with No. 1 Texas. The show will air Saturday morning from the lawn of Ayres Hall and inside Neyland Stadium, adding another spotlight moment to a setting that already figures to be loud, bright and packed with anticipation.
Johnny Knoxville will serve as the celebrity guest picker, giving the pregame spectacle a distinctly Tennessee flavor. The GameDay crews trip also brings the program back into a familiar lane with the Vols, who have had their share of moments on the show over the years, and now get another chance to turn a big-game atmosphere into a full-blown campus event. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Is Giving Vols Fans A Reason To Arrive Early Saturday
With President Donald Trump expected to attend Saturdays game against Texas, Tennessee is treating Neyland Stadium like a much bigger event than a normal fall kickoff. The university said gates will open an hour early, and fans who beat the crowd can take advantage of half-off concessions from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., a small perk built around what is shaping up to be a heavily monitored day on campus.
The bigger message from Tennessee is simple: leave early and be ready for a slower approach to the stadium. Secret Service screenings and extra security checkpoints are in place, and the school is reminding fans to follow the clear bag policy while also accounting for longer travel times and heavy airport traffic around Knoxville. For a matchup with this much attention, the early-arrival push may end up being just as important as anything that happens on the field. [Read more 🡒]