#17 Tennessee (5-1 | 2-1 SEC) at #11 Alabama (6-1 | 4-0 SEC)
Saturday, October 21st, 2023 | 2:30pm CT/3:30pm ET
Tuscaloosa, AL | Bryant-Denny Stadium | TV: CBS
Tuscaloosa, AL – Following three consecutive home wins, No. 17/15 Tennessee takes its show on the road this weekend for its annual Third Saturday in October rivalry against No. 11/8 Alabama.
Kickoff for Saturday’s pivotal SEC showdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium is set for 2:30pm CT, and the game will be broadcast nationally on CBS.
The Volunteers will look to make it two straight wins against the Crimson Tide after ending a 15-game losing streak with a thrilling 52-49 victory last season in Knoxville.
Saturday’s contest will be broadcast to a national television audience on CBS with Brad Nessler (PxP), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sideline reporter) on the call. Kickoff is slated for 2:40pm CT.
Bob Kesling (PxP), VFL Pat Ryan (analyst), and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours prior to kickoff at 12:30pm CT.
Need To Know
Heupel vs. Ranked Foes
Saturday will mark Tennessee’s first game this season against a ranked opponent. Since taking over as head coach prior to the 2021 season, Josh Heupel has posted seven wins over ranked foes at the time of the meeting. The Vols had only seven ranked wins in the six seasons combined prior to Heupel (2015-20). The seven ranked wins in the past three seasons combined rank fourth in the FBS during that span.
Fours Up
Tennessee has finished games strong this season, outscoring opponents 57-16 in the fourth quarter. The Big Orange have allowed only one fourth-quarter touchdown all season, doing so versus Austin Peay in the second game of the season. UT’s three SEC opponents have yet to score a touchdown on the Vols in the fourth quarter. Florida and South Carolina each managed field goals, while Texas A&M was held scoreless in the fourth. The Vols enter the Alabama game having held opponents without a touchdown in the fourth quarter in four straight games.
Defensive Dominance
The Volunteers’ defense continued its ascension with another dominant performance in last weekend’s win over Texas A&M, holding the Aggies to just 13 points and 277 yards of total offense. The defensive front was especially effective once again, racking up five tackles for loss, two sacks, and 11 quarterback hurries.
Entering Saturday’s contest, Tennessee ranks fourth in the FBS with four sacks per game and has recorded at least one sack in 10 straight games. The Vols are also tied for fourth nationally in tackles for loss per game (8.7) and are allowing a paltry 4.4 yards per play, which is good for second in the SEC and 10th in the country.
Last Time Out
Tennessee ran its home win streak to 13 games with a physical defensive effort in a 20-13 win over Texas A&M last Saturday in Neyland Stadium. Dee Williams downed a punt on the 1-yard-line and returned the ensuing Aggie punt 39 yards for a touchdown with 6:47 left in the third quarter that gave the Vols their first lead, 14-10, and they would not look back. Cornerbacks Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Kamal Hadden came up with key interceptions to thwart Texas A&M drives in the fourth quarter and keep the Aggies off the board in the final period.
The Vols rushed for 232 yards vs. the SEC’s No. 1 rushing defense that came into the contest allowing only 84.0 yards per game. Jaylen Wright led the way with a season-high 136 yards on 19 carries, averaging 7.2 per attempt for his fourth 100-yard game of the year. UT limited the Aggies to only 54 yards rushing and only one touchdown, matching the lowest total by Texas A&M in any game over the last four seasons.
Linebackers Aaron Beasley and Elijah Herring paced the UT defense with five tackles apiece. Defensive end James Pearce Jr., the SEC Defensive Lineman of Week, continued to prove why he is one of the best edge rushers in the nation with a sack, two tackles for loss and five of the Vols’ 11 quarterback hurries.
Series History
Alabama leads, 59-39-7
Tennessee will be looking to secure its first road victory over Alabama since a 51-43 win in five overtimes back in 2003. A victory on Saturday would mark the first time the Vols have won two straight against the Crimson Tide since the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
About the Alabama Crimson Tide
In his 17th season leading the Crimson Tide, head coach Nick Saban has Alabama sitting at 6-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play entering Saturday’s contest following back-to-back one-score victories over Texas A&M (26-20) and Arkansas (24-21).
The Tide rank among the SEC’s best in scoring defense (16.0 ppg) and total defense (291.6 ypg), but have been inconsistent offensively, ranking ninth in the league in scoring offense (30.1 ppg) and 10th in total offense (367.9 ypg).
Jalen Milroe has started six of seven games at quarterback and has completed 64.4 percent of his passes (85-132) for 1,397 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with four interceptions. Milroe has also been a threat with his legs, rushing for five scores on the year.
Senior wideout Jermaine Burton leads the receiving corps with 19 catches for 446 yards and four touchdowns, while senior running back Jase McClellan has paced the ground attack with 95 carries for 454 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensive back Caleb Downs has burst onto the scene as a true freshman, leading the team with 54 total tackles and two interceptions from his strong safety position. The linebacker duo of Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell have been extremely disruptive, as well, combining for 16.5 TFLs and 11.5 sacks on the year.
