Alabama vs. Tennessee Prediction, Picks, Spread, Odds for Football Matches, Where to Watch, TV Channel, Live Stream

This year’s edition of the rivalry on the third Saturday in October feels like a playoff eliminator. No. 7 Alabama (5-1) and No. 11 Tennessee (5-1) are both coming off stressful victories followed by surprising losses.

Tennessee needed overtime to beat Florida 23-17, a week after a road loss to Arkansas. Meanwhile, Alabama narrowly held off South Carolina 27-25 after surprising Vanderbilt. Every fan base is nervous about how shaky Alabama and Tennessee have looked in recent weeks.

Both teams have the talent to be true SEC and national championship contenders, but the path will be made significantly more difficult by a loss on Saturday. Especially considering Alabama still has No. 19 Missouri and No. 8 LSU on the schedule, and Tennessee has a road trip to No. 5 Georgia on Nov. 16. A loss on Saturday will require perfection the rest of the way, while a win is on the cards. It will be a long road to selection day.

Alabama vs. Tennessee: What you need to know

QB play needs to get better: Jalen Milroe shot up in the Heisman Trophy odds after Alabama’s win over Georgia, but has fallen back down to earth in his last two games. According to DraftKings, he is currently +1200 to take home college football’s most prestigious award. There is still a tendency to try too much, sometimes leading to poor decisions and poor situational awareness. To win against Tennessee, two interceptions and a safety must be cleared against the Gamecocks. Volunteers starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava may have the opposite problem, as he’s so focused on not making a big mistake that Tennessee misses explosive play opportunities. Iamaleava has not surpassed the 200-yard mark since Game 2 and has scored just a single touchdown in three SEC Conference games. Tennessee can rely on a strong ground game, but needs a lot more from its celebrated starting quarterback.

Tennessee’s defense is legit: Under Josh Heupel, the Vols have made the most noise with their offense, but this year the defense has carried them. Led by defensive coordinator Tim Banks, Tennessee’s defense has been outstanding in 2024. As our Brandon Marcello pointed out in his great Banks profileTennessee ranks second nationally in total defense (249.8 yards per game), yards per play (4), yards per rush (2.2) and third-down conversions allowed (23.8 percent). Tennessee faces its toughest test yet against Milroe, Ryan Williams and the rest of the Alabama offense, but its defensive line should pose some problems against an average Alabama offensive line.

Expect a rollicking game: Last season in Tuscaloosa, Tennessee took a 20-7 halftime lead, but Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide dominated the second half and won 34-20. Two years ago, Tennessee also got off to a good start (21-7 lead in the first quarter). Alabama stormed back, but the Volunteers held off the Tide with a wild 52-49 score that ended with the Goalposts were paraded in Knoxville that night. It’s going to be rocking at Neyland Stadium, and no matter which team takes an early lead, strap in for a lively back-and-forth between two teams with plenty of experience in high-stakes rivalry games.

How to watch Alabama vs. Tennessee live

Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, Tennessee
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)

Alabama vs. Tennessee Prediction, Tips

Both teams have been inconsistent this season, with high points like Alabama’s win over Georgia and Tennessee’s over Oklahoma coupled with shocking low points in road losses. Alabama is the more explosive team and has shown it can win in a track and field game, but its defense has left a lot to be desired so far this season. Vanderbilt outplayed the Alabama defense right away and kept getting what it needed in the third period. Tennessee should have success running the ball against the Tide, but it remains questionable whether Nico Iamaleava can make enough big plays to win a game like this. He hasn’t been able to do that so far this season, even though Tennessee largely hasn’t been able to catch up, aside from the loss at Arkansas. In a turbulent environment, bet on Tennessee to cover in a tense situation. Pick: Tennessee +3

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