Alabama looks for Revenge Against Tennessee

The 11th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1) is preparing to host the 17th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (5-1) Saturday. This game is a rematch that many fans have looked forward to after last years shootout in which the Volunteers beat the Tide 52-49. Alabama players and fans have had this game circled on the schedule in another Top 25 matchup.

Tennessee Looking to Pull Off the Upset

Tennessee is fighting to win the SEC East, and a conference win over Alabama would give them a big push. With Georgia star tight end Brock Bowers needing surgery for a high ankle sprain, the injury might have opened the door for Florida, Missouri and Tennessee to overtake Georgia. On the other hand, Alabama is looking to stay ahead of LSU in the SEC West and a loss could have major implications down the road.

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said he knows the implications of this game and how important it is for conference standings.

Times Have Changed

Last season, Alabama and Tennessee were national title contenders at the time they matched up. Although both are still strong programs, they aren’t the same teams.

Alabama is 109th in total yards offensively, 132nd in passing yards and tied for 131st in rushing yards. The dominate Alabama offense that fans have seen in years past has yet to shine this season. The Tide’s offensive line has struggled this year. Quarterback Jalen Milroe has been sacked 26 times in seven games. Although Milroe has struggled mainly from a lack of experience, he has shown visible improvement throughout. He is not only becoming more confident in his ability on the field and growing as a passer, he is also growing as a leader.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Milroe has matured on the field and is impressed with his growth.

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Keeping a High Tempo

Just like last year, Tennessee still looks for big plays down the field. The Vols play with a quick tempo, and with a quarterback like Joe Milton, they have no problems connecting on deep routes. However, Milton might have a cannon of an arm, but he’s struggled with accuracy on short passes. This is part of the reason why they are ranked 143rd in passing yards and this could be problematic against Alabama’s defense.

The Crimson Tide are tied for 66th in passing yards defensively and rank 44th in rushing defense. The Volunteers are just as good, ranking 43rd against the run and 88th against the pass.

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With Tennessee ranked 16th in rushing yards, the Tide hope to contain the run to get their revenge. Jaylen Wright is Tennessee’s leading rusher and averages 7.1 yards per carry.

A key matchup to look out for is between Tennessee leading receiver Squirrel White and Alabama corner Kool-Aid McKinstry. Another stand out player is Alabama freshman safety Caleb Downs, who leads the team in tackles with 54 and has two interceptions.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.