- Alabama crept past South Carolina at home last week, winning by a score of 27-25.
- Tennessee survived against Florida in overtime, winning 23-17, but sliding in the poll.
- These two teams last faced off on October 21, 2023, in a game that Alabama won 34-20.
The Crimson Tide and the Volunteers face off in a stellar SEC bout. Our Alabama vs Tennessee prediction involves the Crimson Tide bouncing back. Both teams have underperformed lately and need to win this game.
Alabama Aiming to Exert Dominance
Alabama’s 5-1 record may not jump off the page as bad, but they are off to a rocky start in the Kalen DeBoer era. Through three and a half games, they appeared to be the same old Crimson Tide. However, after allowing Georgia to surge back and nearly grasp victory from the jaws of defeat, they have been on a downward spiral. A 5-point loss to Vanderbilt drove the point home, and a scrambling 2-point home win over inferior South Carolina raised even more concerns. With three top-20 teams on the docket, Alabama needs to improve immediately.
Tennessee Hopes to Retake Control
Tennessee has charted a similar path to Alabama this season. After a dominant first four weeks and a ranked win in Week 4, the Volunteers have looked mediocre. They took a 5-point road loss of their own to Arkansas, before narrowly beating an inferior Florida team in overtime. With eerily similar results to Alabama in the last two weeks, the Volunteers will lean on their home-field advantage to gain separation. Tennessee needs QB Nico Iamaleava to be at his best this week after uninspiring performances against Arkansas and Florida.
Alabama vs Tennessee Prediction: Crimson Tide Rolls on the Road
The next three weeks will test just how much of Alabama’s success was due to Nick Saban. Their dynasty is on the line, with a real risk of missing an expanded CFP if they cannot improve soon. With those increased stakes, the Crimson Tide are sure to step up. Their organizational success goes beyond just Saban. On the other hand, Tennessee has struggled just as much and doesn’t have the same history of success. We’ll take Alabama here.
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