Tennessee Vs Alabama Game Preview

By: Dylan NeJaime

It has been a very very long time since both these teams came into this game unbeaten and I’m all here for it. This is why you come to Tennessee, The environment, The tailgates, and most importantly watching some good Vol Football. Coming from the Northeast and being a huge college football fan, I didn’t want a small school with a crap team that had no chance at winning a Natty any time soon. Yeah, I’m a little biased, but hey the Vols are here and we aren’t going down without a fight. I expect Neyland to be rocking harder than when we played Florida. We have a chance to turn the corner as a program and turn some heads who still say we’re overrated. So let’s get into it.

Side note: Before you ask, No I didn’t get a ticket like the rest of you. I’ll be watching the game at the bar because there is no way in hell I’m paying $450 as a broke college kid to get into this game. Big Orange Tix you need to get your shit together.

Tennessee

The Vols come into this game averaging 46.8 points a game. You can thank Hendon Hooker for that. He emerged as a superstar this year with 1,432 yards, 10 touchdowns, a QBR of 90.4 which ranks third in the country, and 0 interceptions. This man is a God, he is my heisman through week 6. You can’t forget the weapons he has on the outside and in the backfield, Jalin Hyatt who has 5 Td’s this year, and will absolutely smoke you on a slant route. Bru McCoy had 7 receptions for 140 yards last Saturday against LSU. That’s freaking nuts. The Kid can run by you so fast you’d think he had P.F. Flyers on his feet. Not to mention if we get

Cedric Tillman back this week it’s over. Jabari Small also gave us one of the greatest highlights of the year running in the game winning TD over Florida. Small has 311 yards on 66 attempts this year as well as 6 touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball it’s been shaky for the Vols. Easy wins coming against Ballsack St. and Akron, they stepped up against Pitt, but they made Anthony Richardson look like he actually knew what he was doing out there. As the season goes on we get better and better, only letting up 90 yards per game on the ground and ranked 11th in the country as a rushing defense. Our front 4 has to come to play this week if they want to stop Jahmyr Gibbs from getting loose. Our pass defense gives up on average about 300 yards per game ranking us near the bottom of the FBS. But I think the Vol’s secondary can hang with the best of them, Alabama’s receiving core isn’t what it used to be, sure they have some dudes like every year but there’s no Devonta Smith on the outside who can light you up. The only scare is 4 year starter Jaylen McCollough who has 23 tackles on the season most likely being out this week because of some drunk moron. If this defense can fill gaps and hold on enough for Hendon Hooker to throw up points the Vols should be right in this game till the clock hits triple zeros.

Alabama

The tide average 44.3 points per game, only second in the SEC to the Tennessee Vols. But lately without Bryce Young in charge of the offense, they’ve looked extremely shaky. You can’t replace a Heisman with a freshman quarterback in Jalen Milroe and expect to stay as dominant as you were. Depending on which QB plays in this game, the outcome can end severely differently. You know what you’re getting with Bryce Young, he’s got the talent, the athleticism, and can flat out sling it. Jalen Milroe, yes he got the win over A&M last week but it wasn’t convincing. Milroe only completed 12 passes for 111 yards, with 3TDs and 1 INT. Saban’s going to rely a lot on the run game and rightfully so with Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield. The Georgia Tech transfer can flat out ball, he’s a workhorse who ran for 154 yards on A&M and 206 against Arkansas.

The Tide’s defense ranks eighth in the land in passing defense allowing 253 yards against A&M and only averaging 166 yard per game. Their rushing defense gives up on average 86 yards per game. As well as the defense only gives up 12.6 points per game to opponents ranking them 6th in the country. Senior, Jordan Battle is a scary man coming in 25 tackles on the year and definitely a high rated draft pick that you should look out for in the spring. He’s a ballhawk just like every other DB on the team. The Linebacker core is as good as any with Will Anderson and the former Vol, Henry To’oTo’oleading them. Combined they have 68 tackles, 1 INT, and 6 sacks. I wouldn’t be surprised if at the end of the year both of them were in the running for the Butkus award. This Bama team can get after the QB in a hurry. They fill gaps, they play hard nose football.

My picks:

The line for this game opened up with Alabama giving 7 points to Tennesse which is where I expected it to be and I think it’s respectful. Tennessee has played good ball but with Florida

being shaky and LSU honestly not being that good at all, this is a huge game. The line has moved to Bama giving 7.5, Vegas could be telling us something here but I’m taking the point with the Vols. I don’t trust the Bama D and if Bryce Young isn’t playing this is going to be close game. The Point total sits at 66 and that’s honestly pretty high. I Don’t see it going over.

For this game I’ll be taking…

● Tennessee +7.5

● Little sprinkle on the ML at +230

● Jalin Hyatt any time TD (depends on what book you use if you can find it)

● Under 66 -110

● No team to score 3 times unanswered +225

● If I can find it somewhere, I’d take Hooker’s rushing over (Bama’s going to be to worried about defending him from throwing the long ball)