An SEC tradition is renewed this weekend when the No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) head south to take on the No. 6-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (5-1, 3-0 SEC) in a rivalry known for its spot on the calendar.
Tennessee is rolling into Bryant-Denny Stadium with a three-game winning streak. After losing an overtime thriller to Georgia, the Volunteers have rebounded with closer-than-expected wins over Mississippi State and Arkansas.
Alabama thwarted Georgia in its second early-season test, defeating the Bulldogs 24-21 in Athens. Since then, the Crimson Tide defeated Vanderbilt and Missouri during their five-game winning streak.
Can Tennessee emerge from the “Third Saturday In October” with consecutive wins over Alabama? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player props for this SEC matchup.
From unheralded starter to potential Heisman candidate. That’s the path that Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has taken this season. Through six games, he’s recorded 1,678 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and only one interception.
He’s a boom-or-bust producer, however. He’s surpassed the 300-yard mark twice, throwing for over 340 yards in both of those games. Simpson has also finished with under 255 yards in three of his four contests.
Still, Tennessee’s pass defense has been suspect in big games. Georgia’s Gunner Stockton broke the 300-yard plateau, and Arkansas’s Taylen Green netted 256 passing yards while the Razorbacks ran for 240 more. Bettors should take the over on this prop bet due to the Volunteers’ poor defense showings to date.
Analysts predicted the Volunteers’ rushing attack would have a drop-off after Dylan Simpson left for the NFL. Sophomore running back DeSean has been more than up to the task thus far, notching 63 carries for 481 yards and five touchdowns.
Bishop has scored in three consecutive outings for the Volunteers. On Saturday, he’ll face a Crimson Tide defense that has surrendered rushing touchdowns to running backs in multiple SEC games thus far. Expect this 5-foot-10 athlete to add to that list on Saturday.
With big-name wide receivers garnering most of the attention, fans may not be familiar with Alabama tight end Josh Cuevas. The 6-foot-3 senior has strung together several strong performances, notching at least two receptions in every game. For the year, he’s recorded 15 catches for 154 yards and two scores.
Tennessee has allowed talented tight ends to have strong games this season. Georgia had a pair of players finish with 43 yards on three receptions, while Syracuse’s Dan Villari notched a five-catch, 55-yard performance against the Volunteers earlier this year. That bodes well for Cuevas, and bettors should expect him to cover his receiving prop total.
Even with impressive wins over Missouri and Georgia, the Crimson Tide has yet to separate itself from other SEC contenders. Alabama has won both those road conference contests by three points.
Will playing at home make enough of a difference to help the Crimson Tide win by more than a touchdown against Tennessee? Recent results suggest otherwise. The previous three outings between these two teams have been decided by a touchdown or less. That trend will continue on Saturday, and the Volunteers will make this a competitive game until the final buzzer sounds.