No. 14 Tennessee will have to wait a little longer for answers on quarterback Faizon Brandon, while Alabama’s Wednesday SEC availability report delivered the bigger headline for Saturday’s matchup in Knoxville.
The Volunteers and Crimson Tide meet at 3:30 p.m. ET in Neyland Stadium for the latest Third Saturday in October showdown, with Tennessee sitting at 5-1 after last weekend’s road win at Arkansas and Alabama also at 5-1 on the season. As of Wednesday night, the Vols were an 8.5-point underdog.
SEC teams will keep updating availability reports on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights before also releasing one again on game day. The first look offered a clearer picture for Alabama than it did for Tennessee.
For the Vols, Brandon is the only player listed as questionable. The Tennessee quarterback was banged up against Texas a few weeks ago and did not play in last weekend’s win over Arkansas, where he was listed as a game-time decision.
Most of Tennessee’s players listed as out are already dealing with season-ending injuries, so there were no major surprises there. Reports this season have indicated that Wendell Moe Jr. is out for the year with an injury.
Alabama’s report was more notable because of who landed on the out list. Star wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams will not play, and his numbers this season help explain why that matters so much. Through six games, he has 415 yards and four touchdowns on 23 catches, leading the Crimson Tide in all three categories except receptions, where he is tied with Lotzeir Brooks.
The Tide also listed linebacker Desmond Umeozulu, linebacker Cayden Jones, defensive back Nick Sherman, defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman and defensive lineman Terrance Green as out.
On the other side of the report, Alabama put offensive lineman Racin Delgatty down as questionable and linebacker Justin Hill as probable.
No. 14 Tennessee (5-1) and No. 6 Alabama (5-1) now head toward a Top 15 matchup that already has plenty of attention thanks to the first availability report alone.
In Other News...
Tennessee's Alabama Quarterback Decision Suddenly Feels A Lot More Urgent
Tennessees buildup to Alabama has already taken on a sharper edge, and the quarterback question is right at the center of it. Faizon Brandon opened the season as the starter before George MacIntyre took over, and MacIntyre made a strong first impression in his initial start against Arkansas. With rivalry week approaching, the Vols are trying to sort out their most important position before a game that usually leaves very little margin for hesitation.
Josh Heupel still has not named a starter for Alabama, which only adds to the intrigue around how Tennessee will handle the moment. A film analyst has already weighed in and argued that MacIntyre should keep the job based on what he showed last week, and that view will only grow louder if the decision drags closer to kickoff. For Tennessee, this is no longer just about competition at quarterback, but about settling on the right answer before the stakes climb any higher. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Lost A Huge Piece Before Tennessee Showdown
Alabama heads into its meeting with Tennessee already dealing with a major absence on offense, as wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams has been listed as out for the game because of a lingering lower-body issue and a head injury he picked up against Georgia. The setback matters even more because Coleman-Williams has been the Tides most productive pass catcher this season, leading the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.
Kalen DeBoer said Coleman-Williams is working through a knee injury as well as the head issue, leaving his status beyond this week uncertain. For Tennessee, it changes the shape of a rivalry game that was already going to hinge on who can handle the pressure moments best, and now Alabama has to figure out how to replace a central part of its passing attack on short notice. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Push For Elite D-Line Target Just Got More Urgent
Tennessees run of big-game recruiting weekends is getting another layer of importance with Kellan Hall, the five-star defensive lineman from Christian Academy of Louisville, now sitting atop Rivals Industry Rankings for the 2028 class. Hall has already become one of the premier names in the cycle, and Tennessee has stayed squarely in the mix as one of the schools pushing hardest for him. He is scheduled to be back on campus for the Volunteers game against LSU on Nov. 21, giving the staff another chance to make its case in a setting built for prospects to feel the edge and energy around the program.
For Tennessee, the timing matters because Hall is not just another early offer in a deep recruiting board. He has made multiple visits to Knoxville and to other major programs, and the Volunteers are treating him like the kind of target who can help shape a class before it really takes form. With elite defensive line talent always at a premium, especially in a cycle that starts with a player of Halls stature, every trip carries added weight and every impression can matter a little more. [Read more 🡒]