(Photo: USA Today)
Intriguing Game- NCAA Football, Week Seven
(6) Alabama Crimson Tide at (14) Tennessee Volunteers
Alabama (5-1):
If you’re one of the people saying they got cheated out of a football game because a flag wasn’t thrown when it should have been, you’re not wrong. As a matter of fact, I agree with you completely. However, I’m also going to be the person who says that’s not the sole reason Alabama lost to the Georgia Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide struggled to execute offensively, push the ball down the field, and sustain drives. Defensively, they also struggled to contain the run. I give Georgia credit because its game plan was to make Keelon Russell move and prevent him from getting comfortable in the pocket, as he had been throughout the season. What really did Alabama in was Dijon Lee’s personal foul, which essentially sealed the deal for Georgia. In that moment, you have to maintain your composure and avoid letting your emotions get the best of you. The Crimson Tide’s offense disappeared after halftime, Georgia made more winning plays, and the Dawgs executed better in crunch time. That’s a tough loss for a football team that had been scoring with ease and creating turnovers before Week 6. However, this is a game where you’re not going to win them all. I still think Alabama is one of the best teams in the SEC, and the Tide will be a tough out come playoff time if they get that far. The best way to beat a physical football team is to give them a taste of their own medicine, and that’s exactly what Georgia did. After all, I think you all know my saying by now: “The bully doesn’t like to get bullied.” It’s the Third Saturday in October, which means one thing!
Tennessee (5-1):
The last time I watched this team play was in Week 4, when the Vols faced the Texas Longhorns. I’ll give them credit because they played hard, but they just didn’t have enough left in the tank to hang on and pull off what would have been a huge upset against the then-No. 1-ranked team in the country. That was also the game where I got to sit down and watch Faizon Brandon play, and the Longhorns’ defense stifled him. Since that loss in Week 4, this group has bounced back and won its last two games. One thing I’ve been paying close attention to is the quarterback situation. Tennessee started Faizon Brandon earlier in the year, but against Arkansas this past weekend, Josh Heupel turned to sophomore George MacIntyre, who secured the win despite throwing two interceptions. The ceiling of the Tennessee Volunteers depends heavily on how well the quarterback situation settles down. DeSean Bishop is a vital part of the Vols’ offense and is more than capable of handling a heavy workload. However, SEC defenses can limit what you do offensively and force you to beat them in other ways. Statistically, Tennessee averages 34 points per game, which shows that the Vols can attack defenses and score at any time. Defensively, they’ve allowed 15 points per game. Those numbers look good to the casual fan, but there’s a legitimate concern at the most important position on the field: quarterback. The lack of stability at that position creates issues. This isn’t about which quarterback has the stronger arm. It’s about whether Tennessee can protect its quarterback, create manageable down-and-distance situations, and keep defenses from loading the box to stop the run. The Vols return home on Saturday for their annual showdown with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Alabama X-Factor: Yhonzae Pierre
The Crimson Tide’s defense will face a Vols offense that thrives on tempo. This is where the edge defenders must show up, and I’ll be paying close attention to Yhonzae Pierre in this matchup. When these two teams met last season in Tuscaloosa, Pierre recorded three sacks in the Tide’s win over Tennessee. That tells me he can make an impact as a pass rusher. Can Yhonzae repeat that type of production in this matchup? If he can make his presence felt, disrupt the Vols’ timing, and force the quarterback into uncomfortable situations, that will bode well for Alabama.
Tennessee X-Factor: DaSaahn Brame
Of course, when you’ve played the Tennessee Volunteers this year, the main focus has been on DeSean Bishop, and rightfully so. He’s been one of the best running backs in the country. We all know what happens when you overcompensate for one player: It opens things up for the other players around him. That’s exactly what I see happening for DaSaahn on Saturday. He can exploit the middle of the field, first and foremost! If Alabama focuses on the outside receivers and the running game, that could allow Brame to work the middle of the field and attack the seams. He creates matchup problems all over the field, and one big catch-and-run could be all he needs to generate momentum for the Vols.
Final Thoughts:
It’s the Third Saturday in October! I still remember when I first previewed this matchup. Bryce Young was quarterbacking the Crimson Tide, and Hendon Hooker was under center for the Vols. It was a shootout, and Tennessee escaped with a three-point victory behind a five-touchdown performance from Jalin Hyatt. Now, we get another battle between these two teams, this time in Knoxville. How will Alabama respond after last week’s loss? The Tide will also enter this game without Ryan Coleman-Williams, who is sidelined with head and knee injuries. On Tennessee’s side, who will be under center as the starting quarterback? Maybe Josh Heupel will name his starter close to kickoff to throw off Alabama’s defensive game plan. For Alabama, it starts with shutting down Bishop and making Tennessee’s offense one-dimensional. The Tide must disrupt the quarterback, force hurried throws, create potential turnovers, and improve the middle of the defense, which Georgia exploited in Week 6. Alabama also needs to tackle better in space, improve its gap discipline, and communicate more effectively. Tennessee, on the other hand, must protect its quarterback, whoever that might be. This Alabama defense will be active and disruptive, so the Vols need to attack with the running game and Bishop while making Alabama prove it can win through the air. Defensively, Tennessee should focus on bringing Alabama’s receivers down immediately after the catch, disrupting Keelon Russell’s timing without allowing receivers to get open, and forcing the Tide into third-and-long situations.
