The #2 Alabama Crimson Tide look to stay perfect on the season when they visit the Tennessee Volunteers in a battle of longtime SEC rivals. Alabama enters the game as a 21.5-point favorite on the road with an over/under of 65 points.
After getting off to a 2-0 start, the Volunteers have gone into a rut. Tennessee was competitive with Georgia during the first half two weeks ago, only to get shutout in the second half and take their first loss of the season.
Things got worse last week when the Vols were embarrassed at home against Kentucky 34-7, losing to the Wildcats at home for the first time since 1984. They now have to play three of their last six games against top-10 teams, so things only get tougher for Jeremy Pruitt’s team.
Meanwhile, Alabama is now in the driver’s seat for the SEC West title. The Crimson Tide overcame a halftime deficit against Georgia last week to win 41-24. The Crimson Tide is now the only undefeated team left in the SEC, and has a clear path back to the College Football Playoff. Alabama also doesn’t have a ranked team left on their schedule the rest of the season.
Same Old Story
The biggest surprise of the season for the Crimson Tide is that their offense looks even better than last season. Mac Jones is slinging the ball all over the field, putting himself in the Heisman conversation with 12 touchdown passes through four games. He’s averaging close to 380 passing yards per game and over 13 yards per pass attempt.
Alabama’s wide receiver trio of Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and John Metchie is the best in the country. The Tide are also getting six yards per carry on the ground from Najee Harris, an emerging Heisman candidate in his own rights.
The Volunteers have hung tough defensively this season, even in losses in back-to-back weeks, specifically doing a solid job at stopping the run. Tennessee probably doesn’t have the secondary talent, or depth, to stop the Alabama passing game. It’s going to be another big outing for Jones and Company.
Mystery Man
A quarterback controversy is brewing for Tennessee heading into the game against Alabama. The Vols used three different quarterbacks last week, as Jarret Guarantano’s hold on the job is slipping after committing six turnovers the last two games. Over their last six quarters, the Tennessee offense has scored one touchdown, but they’ve given up three over that span to opposing defenses.
Turnovers and instability at QB doesn’t bode well against the Alabama defense. There were some questions about the Tide after lackluster performances against Texas A&M and Ole Miss, but after Alabama shut out Georgia in the second half last week, the defense has turned a corner.
Let it Roll Tide
Even if the Tennessee defense puts up a fight, the Vols aren’t likely to get much help from their offense. There’s only so much a team can hold out against the talent the Tide has on offense. Sooner or later, this game is likely to get away from Tennessee, so bet on Alabama to win and cover against the Volunteers.
