Did Tennessee finally turn the corner during their big come-from-behind win over Georgia? We’ll find out just how far they’ve come when they head to Tuscaloosa for their traditional Third Saturday in October rivalry game (that for some reason is usually played on this, the fourth Saturday in October).
How to watch Tennessee vs. Alabama on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
Can the Vols pull off an upset in Tuscaloosa?
Alabama, meanwhile, has been its usual dominant self. The Crimson Tide are coming off a successful trip to College Station in which they pick-sixed Texas A&M’s Kyle Allen three times en route to a 41-23 victory. Will they have similar success against Joshua Dobbs? The Vols’ dual-threat quarterback has been very effective this season, completing 58 percent of his passes and only throwing two interceptions while also rushing for over 100 yards against both Georgia and Florida.
If Dobbs is able to scramble and keep drives going, the Vols can be dangerous. However, Tennessee could have a tough time slowing down the Tide’s running backs. The Vols gave up 100-yard games to two running backs against Arkansas, and Nick Chubb went down early in the Georgia game. How will they handle Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake?
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS, announcers Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, and Allie LaForce
Radio: Alabama affiliates, and Tennessee affiliates
Online streaming: CBSSports.com
Spread: Alabama is favored by 15.5 points
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Roll Bama Roll (for Alabama fans) and Rocky Top Talk (for Tennessee fans).
Three big things to know
1. Can Dobbs do it again? It was the Alabama game last year in Knoxville when Joshua Dobbs announced himself to the college football world. After not playing in the Vols’ first seven games, Butch Jones gave him a shot at quarterback when Tennessee was down 13-0 early, and he’s had it ever since. He was 19-of-32 passing against the Tide for 192 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 75 yards on 19 carries. Can he have a similar performance in Tuscaloosa?
2. Division races. Alabama has to keep winning games to keep pace with LSU in the SEC West. Unless the Tigers falter, the Tide can’t afford any mistakes. Meanwhile, Tennessee needs to win and hope Florida loses somewhere to have a chance to win the East. A loss to Alabama would virtually eliminate the Vols from contention.
3. Bye weeks. Some fans love to study bye weeks and whether they give one team an advantage over another when they’re not even, and in this situation Tennessee is coming off a bye week while Alabama is playing its eighth straight game. The Vols should be more fresh, at least in theory. Alabama did get banged up a bit against Texas A&M last week. Kenyan Drake took a helmet to the thigh and center Ryan Kelly suffered a concussion, but both are expected to be good to go for the Tennessee game.
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