Game Info & History
We are coming up on the third Saturday in October! On October 19th, the #11 Tennessee Volunteers will host the #7 Alabama Crimson Tide in Knoxville, with kickoff at 3:30 pm ET.
This will be the Vols’ next rivalry game of the season. The two teams have a history that goes all the way back to 1901. Over the past 106 games, Alabama has been the dominator. Aside from 7 games that ended in ties, the Vols have a record of 39-60 against the Tide. Their most recent win is a very fond memory for Vol Nation. The last matchup in Knoxville in 2022 was an electric night filled with explosive plays and gut-wrenching nervousness. Tied 49-49 late in the 4th quarter, Alabama missed a field goal and left just enough time for Hendon Hooker to lead the Vols down the field to kick the game-winning field goal. That night, the Vols broke a 15-game losing streak, stormed the field with cigars, and carried the goalpost to the Tennessee River in celebration.
Will the Vols be able to win this weekend? Let’s dive in…
How Important is This Game?
Yes, of course, winning every game, especially a rivalry game, is essential. But how does this game affect the remaining season? Many people commented about the Vols drop from #8 in week 7 to #11 this week after an OT win against Florida. Especially considering Alabama didn’t have a change in ranking after they survived possibly their second upset of the season against South Carolina in Tuscaloosa. I don’t agree that Alabama didn’t drop at least one spot, but these are the circumstances. So, with that being said, this is a crucial game for Tennessee’s hope of getting into the playoffs!
If Tennessee wins this game, regardless of whether it is by a last-minute field goal or by multiple scores, it puts them back into the mix as a strong favorite to make the playoff, especially against an Alabama team the committee loves. This leaves the Vols with a favorable schedule with only one big game against the currently ranked #5 Georgia Bulldogs in Athens.
If Tennessee loses, however, there is still a fighting chance of making the playoffs. The Vols would likely have to win the remainder of their games to make that cutoff. But if they cannot beat Alabama in Neyland, I don’t know if they can beat Georgia in Athens. The Vols have done excellent on defense but also have struggled to put up points in conference play.
Either way, this is a monumental game for the Vols season. The game’s result will impact not only the playoff probability for both teams but also be a factor in the flow of the rest of the season.
Notable Injuries
Notable players for Alabama are DB Keon Sabb and DB Domani Jackson. Both players are listed as probable, meaning they will most likely play. Sabb is Alabama’s third-best defensive player statistically, with 37 tackles and 2 interceptions. Jackson, also a defensive leader, has 21 tackles and 2 interceptions.
For the Vols, WRs Bru McCoy, Squirrel White, and Dont’e Thorton Jr. were not listed on the injury report, which is a very positive change from last week. However, star LB Keenan Pili suffered a season-ending injury to his ACL against Florida last week. As well, starting left tackle Lance Heard (probable) and backup running back Cameron Seldon (questionable) were added to the report. Heard has struggled with injury throughout the season and did not play against Oklahoma. Although Heard has had a rough couple of games since returning, we also have seen what it is like to go without him. Seldon has yet to have any outstanding games, but he adds to a very talented RB room.
Game Preview
Through the past 6 games, we have seen both teams have very high and very low moments. They both come into this matchup with a record of 5-1, and both of their losses are to unranked teams playing on the road.
Alabama:
Alabama’s strength is in their offense, led by QB Jalen Milroe. Although Milroe hasn’t put up crazy numbers throwing the ball, ranked 35th nationally, he has the 5th-best QBR. He is a dangerous threat running the ball. Milroe has the most rushing attempts and second-most rushing yards on the team. This includes the red zone, as Alabama likes to call a QB sweep for touchdowns.
However, the remainder of Alabama’s running game is not showing consistently good play running the ball. They have had a few explosive plays for big yards but have not found a rhythm.
Alabama runs the ball more than passing but finds most of its success through the air. Milroe has an excellent offensive line in front of him, which gives him plenty of time to get the ball out. Also, Alabama likes to give the first read to the RB out in the flat before moving on to their WRs. With the time the OL gives Milroe, I can understand this system. It provides time for Freshman WR Ryan Williams to get into space. Williams is Milroe’s favorite target of the year, and there is a reason. Williams is an extraordinary player with fantastic body control and the ability to stop and return to full speed almost instantly.
Defensively, Alabama has a problem. They are not super aggressive in attacking the ball; they are just soft overall. When they tackle, it looks like they are just waiting for the whistle for stopping forward progress. Alabama’s defense is the 4th worst-ranked in the SEC. Vandy walked all over them and primarily relied on read options and quick passes.
Another important note about Alabama is that they are undisciplined. In every game they have played this year, they have received more penalties than any of their opponents. They average 75 yards lost in penalties per game, with many of them extending drives for their opponents.
Tennessee:
We are all aware of how dominant the defense for Tennessee has been so far this year. Now we will see how well they adjust and who steps up and leads this without LB Keenan Pili. They will be in for another challenge this week against a dynamic quarterback and, perhaps for the first time, a star wide receiver, Ryan Williams. We will get a great matchup between the Vols’ DL and Alabama’s OL, as they have played excellently throughout the year. I hope we don’t notice much of a negative difference with the current LB situation, as the Vols have rotated many younger players through this position so far. The passing game will be the biggest threat, as it has been all year, against the Vols. While the defense has shown dominance and aggression at stopping the run, I would like to see better coverage in zone by the linebackers when in zone coverage.
Offensively, we are all hoping to see the return of the explosive team that was there at the beginning of the season. But in back-to-back games, the Vols have not been able to score in the first half and have yet to even get close to scoring the numbers they did in their first three games. This problem is the result of the execution at the line of scrimmage. We have seen the OL occasionally make good, even great, plays in their last three games. However, they are currently not consistently good, just occasionally great.
The running game has been Tennessee’s only hope offensively these last three games. Thankfully, RB Dylan Sampson is an absolute athlete who makes plays. While the OL is necessary for the run game, Sampson seems to make something out of nothing, running angry and fighting for extra yards. He is also a patient RB waiting for a hole to develop while still behind the line.
With Tennessee’s struggles on the OL, getting the passing game going is hard. Right now, QB Nico Iamaleava doesn’t look confident in the pocket. That’s understandable, considering he has been sacked 10 times in the past three games. This lack of confidence has led to a quicker desire to scramble. If Nico doesn’t see anything on his first and sometimes second read, his eyes come down, and he looks for the fastest way out of the pocket. We did watch some success as Tennessee started rolling him out at the start of plays, but this will not be as effective against Alabama. It’s on tape now, and the Tide watched as they found better success, so I am sure they prepared for the rollout this week.
Also, it is essential to mention that Tennessee has struggled with penalties this year, averaging 60.83 lost yards per game. Most are against the offense for holding and false starts on the OL.
Keys for a Vol Victory
• Slow, Long Drives
-It is easy to fall in love with the concept of a speed demon offense that breaks off explosive plays, tires out the defense quickly and doesn’t allow for fresh defensive players. That worked in the first part of the season, but it is not working now. Tennessee is predictable in their play calling, and their receiver routes are not very dynamic. Right now, defenses are confident that we can’t make deep plays, so they stack the box and find success by only allowing a few yards per play. The Vols need to slow down and give their offensive line more time to catch their breath and call out their assignments. This also keeps the ball out of Milroe’s hands. We saw this work against Alabama two weeks ago when Vandy possessed the ball for 42:08 of the game. Also, giving our defense more time to rest and make adjustments on the sideline will significantly benefit the effort to stop Alabama’s offense.
• Short, Quick Passes
-We already know that the Vols will rely heavily on the run game. We can’t live on that all night, though, and we need to get the QB into a better headspace. Nico doesn’t have time to wait for a medium or deep ball to develop. He gets the time on rare occasions, but he isn’t confident of staying in the pocket long because it is so rare right now. The next best thing is to create quick opportunities to get it to a receiver and give them a chance to make a play. We have seen time and time again that Tennessee receivers make plays to gain extra yards; let’s give them a chance to do that more.
• Don’t give Milroe Space
-As dynamic as QB Milroe is, we don’t have the freedom to allow him space and time. He can burn defenses through the air and run on the ground. Our DL will need to get to him quickly, controlling the edge and up the middle and putting pressure on him. If we make him move backward, we can lower his pass completion percentage and get some sacks.
