Alabama has won the last seven games it has played against Tennessee, and it’s hard to see that changing with Saturday’s matchup between these two programs.
How to watch Alabama vs. Tennessee: Game guide, TV schedule, streaming, odds
Can the Volunteers pull off the impossible?
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Nick Saban’s squad is fresh off a 59-0 beatdown over Texas A&M, putting itself right back into the playoff hunt before a tough stretch to finish out the season. Tennessee is not supposed to be part of that tough stretch, but the Volunteers have looked significantly improved (at times) from last year and could pose some problems. The Tide will be looking out for A.J. Johnson, Tennessee’s dynamic senior linebacker and leading tackler.
Tennessee, on the other hand, will be trying to break that skid and record what could be a special upset for the program. The Volunteers took a 34-3 loss to Ole Miss their last time out and remain winless in SEC play on the season. There are winnable games left -- Alabama’s the only ranked team remaining on the schedule -- but it could still be a rough finish to the year if Tennessee doesn’t recover from that blowout loss.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET.
TV: ESPN2.
Online streaming: WatchESPN.
Our blogs on these teams
The numbers
Rankings and records: Alabama is ranked No. 4 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll. Tennessee is unranked in both polls. The Tide are 6-1 with a 3-1 record in SEC play, and the Volunteers are 3-4 with an 0-3 SEC record this season. Alabama holds a 50-38-7 advantage in the all-time series.
Vegas: Alabama opened as a 15.5-point favorite. The line is now 17.5. The over/under is 46.5.
Weather forecast: Sunny, high of 72 and low of 53.
Two things at stake
Alabama needs a strong finish to make its case for a playoff bid.
A win for Tennessee would be a statement for Butch Jones’s program and would go a long way toward bowl eligibility.
One big matchup
Tennessee offensive line vs. Alabama defensive line. Tennessee’s biggest struggles this season have come in the trenches. Alabama? Well, the Tide are built there. The Vols are averaging just 2.6 yards per carry in large part due to their inability to create space in the backfield, while Alabama is allowing just 2.4 yards per rush and recording 6.7 tackles for a loss per game.
Further reading
For more on Alabama, head over to Roll Bama Roll. For coverage of Tennessee, check out Rocky Top Talk.
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