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No. 11 Alabama is out for revenge on Saturday because the Crimson Tide battles No. 17 Tennessee. The newest installment of the “Third Saturday in October” is a rematch of closing season’s exciting showdown between those fierce competitors. The Volunteers snapped a 15-game shedding streak within the collection with a 52-49 win, prompting the bought out Neyland Stadium crowd to vacate their seats and typhoon the sphere.
This time the Crimson Tide have home-field merit on their aspect as they search to push their domestic successful streak within the collection to ten video games and shore up Bryant-Denny Stadium’s recognition as some of the adverse venues in college football. A unprecedented domestic loss to Texas in Week 2 put Alabama on an unsure trajectory, however the Crimson Tide have rattled off 5 directly victories since then to emerge because the closing SEC West group nonetheless unbeaten in league play.
Tennessee employs a miles other philosophy than it did closing season. The Volunteers have traded some of the country’s very best passing assaults for some of the country’s very best dashing assaults below third-year trainer Josh Heupel, whose squad has rebounded from a Sept. 16 loss at Florida to win consecutive SEC video games over South Carolina and Texas A&M.
How to watch Alabama vs. Tennessee live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium — Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: CBS | Live flow: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (Try It Free)
Alabama vs. Tennessee Need to grasp
Quarterback downgrade: These groups blended for 1,136 yards and 61 first downs closing season, thank you largely to the play of 2 elite quarterbacks. Alabama’s Bryce Young and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker accounted for 840 yards and 7 touchdowns during the air. Barring one thing totally sudden, their replacements would possibly not sniff the ones statistics on Saturday. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe has proven the facility to create large performs during the air, however the Crimson Tide’s down-to-down passing recreation stays a sadness, as evidenced by way of Milroe’s 10 of 21 passing efficiency in a decent win over Arkansas closing week. Tennessee’s Joe Milton could also be coming off an unsightly trip, finishing simply 11 of twenty-two passes with a pricey second-half interception in a 20-13 win over Texas A&M.
Pressuring the quarterbacks: Further discouraging those groups from throwing the soccer is the truth that each and every protection is one of the country’s very best at sacking opposing quarterbacks. The Volunteers rank 1/3 nationally with 4 sacks in keeping with recreation whilst the Crimson Tide rank fourth posting a median of three.7 in keeping with contest. Junior linebacker Dallas Turner leads Alabama with seven sacks, which helped earn a place at the 2023 CBS Sports Midseason All-America group. Sophomore defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. leads Tennessee with six sacks whilst senior defensive lineman Tyler Baron has racked up 5.
The little issues: Last season’s assembly got here right down to a different groups play when Chase McGrath’s 40-yard subject function slightly fluttered over the pass bar as time expired to raise Tennessee to victory. Both groups have proven glimpses of particular groups brilliance in 2023. Alabama has in particular shined within the kicking recreation. With a 13 for 13 mark on subject objectives, Alabama’s Will Reichard earned a place at the CBS Sports Midseason All-America group. Crimson Tide punter James Burnip additionally ranks 1/3 nationally in yards in keeping with punt at 48.9. Tennessee counters with bad returner Dee Williams. He gave the Volunteers their first lead of the sport closing week towards Texas A&M with a 39-yard punt go back for a landing. Just a couple of performs prior he downed a Jackson Ross punt on Texas A&M’s 1-yard line. Williams led the SEC closing season with a median of 18.7 yards in keeping with punt go back.
Alabama vs. Tennessee prediction, picks
Odds by the use of SportsLine consensus
These groups each battle throwing the soccer, and each defenses are very good at racking up sacks and dwelling within the backfield. That way lifestyles shall be even more difficult than standard on a couple of quarterbacks who are not nice within the first position. Alabama will have to be amped up for revenge after Tennessee gained a vintage at Neyland Stadium closing season. With home-field merit on their aspect, search for the Crimson Tide to squeak out a detailed win with out overlaying the unfold. Pick: Tennessee +8.5
Which school soccer picks are you able to make with self belief in Week 8, and which underdogs will win outright? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a confirmed laptop style that has returned greater than $2,000 in benefit over the last seven-plus seasons — and to find out.
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