Alabama vs. Tennessee Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

By Pete Fiutak | October 16, 2019 7:36 pm

Alabama vs. Tennessee fearless prediction and game preview.

Alabama vs. Tennessee Broadcast

Date: Saturday, October 19
Game Time: 9:00 ET
Venue: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
Network: ESPN

Tennessee (2-4) vs. Alabama (6-0) Game Preview

Why Tennessee Will Win

Tennessee is starting to do just enough well to be a potential problem – at least for a little while.

The defense hasn’t been awful, it’s able to come up with takeaways, the kick return game and special teams are good, and the offense at least has options at quarterback with Brian Maurer expected to be available to go along with Jarrett Guarantano.

It’s not that Tennessee has the O and the explosiveness to keep up with the Tide, but the secondary hasn’t been all that bad – it’ll get carved up, but it’s come up with nine picks in the last four games – and now the pressure is off just a wee bit after finally getting a real win.

The defense rose up and made a slew of big plays in the win over Mississippi State, the running game was good, and there’s at least a little more hope now.

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Why Alabama Will Win

The Tennessee pas defense might be coming up with a slew of interceptions, but it’s also getting carved up by the better passing games. Mississippi State doesn’t have one of those, but Florida and Kyle Trask hit 71% of their passes, and Georgia’s Jake Fromm hit 83% of his passes averaging ten yards per pop.

Tennessee might not be quite as miserable as the 2-4 record might indicate – ifs and buts, but if it didn’t gack late against Georgia State and BYU, we’d be tweaking about your 2-4 Vols – but there’s no possible hope of keeping up or getting back in the game if Bama goes Bama early on.

Even with Tua Tagovailoa isn’t otherworldly, the Crimson Tide isn’t having any issues. He hit 62% of his passes for 293 yards and four scores with his first pick of the season against Texas A&M – a great day for anyone else – and it seemed like there was something wrong.

It helps to have underused NFL running backs to turn to when needed. Najee Harris had his second 100-yard day in the last three, and Brian Robinson rumbled for a decent day against the Vols.

Tennessee won’t be able to stop any of this enough to for its offense to stay in the game.

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What’s Going To Happen

Bama hasn’t played a complete game in a while.

There was a time when parades were held when a team scored 20 points on the Tide D, and it’s been done three times in the last four games. The games weren’t all that close, and there wasn’t any drama, but the D is still a work in progress.

It’ll look like things are progressing this week.

The Tide defense will be terrific, Tua will be Tua with a. big first quarter, and it’ll be a 13th straight win in the series with relative ease.