This year’s installment of the Third Saturday in October will be another crucial game for both programs. The Vols enter the game with a record of 5-1 while the Crimson Tide enter with a record of 6-1. For so long this game was an automatic win for Alabama but because of Josh Heupel that is no longer the case. The Vols will be looking for back-to-back wins over the Tide for the first time since 2003-2004, and the Crimson Tide will be looking for revenge after their 52-49 defeat last year in Neyland Stadium. The Vols will be walking into a hornet’s nest on Saturday afternoon in Bryant-Denny Stadium, but as daunting as the task of beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa is this is not the juggernaut of years past. No one has beaten Alabama more than the Tennessee Volunteers, but do the Vols have what it takes to get it done this year?

Key Matchups

The Trenches

This may count as a hot take, but according to the stats to this point in the season, the Vols have a better Offensive and Defensive line than Alabama. This would have been absolute lunacy to suggest even 2 years ago, but Josh Heupel and staff have both lines playing at an elite level. Alabama on the other hand is struggling immensely on the offensive line. The Tide give up sacks at an alarming rate, and they are certainly not living up to the standard that Nick Saban expects. However, the defensive line for Alabama is playing at a high level, and the Vols Offensive line will have their hands full, especially on the road. The key in the trenches for the Vols on offense will be staying away from the pre-snap penalties that they committed at Florida and opening up the holes in the running game. I think Cooper Mays will act as a band-aid when it comes to the pre-snap penalties, but in my opinion, the running game needs to be a bit more creative to match last week’s impressive performance against the Aggies. On defense for the Vols, I don’t think much tweaking is necessary. The Vols have been elite when it comes to getting after the quarterback and racking up tackles for loss, but one thing they may need to focus on is keeping Jalen Milroe in the pocket. If the Vols pass rush gets behind Milroe it will not bode well as Milroe is good at finding receivers downfield and picking up first downs with his legs. The Vols must stay even with Milroe and keep him in the pocket, and if they can contain Milroe he might make the same mistakes he made against Texas when he threw 2 crucial interceptions.

Joe Milton vs Alabama Secondary

Joe Milton was abysmal against Texas A&M. 11-22 for 100 yards will not get the job done in Tuscaloosa, and I hope Joe Milton knows that more than anybody. The good news for Joe Milton is that this Alabama secondary was torched by Quinn Ewers earlier in the season down the field. If there’s one thing Joe Milton can do it’s chucking the ball downfield, but will it be on target, and will the receiver catch the damn ball? I think for the Vols to come out on top in this game Joe Milton will have to throw for at least 250 yards. Nick Saban kills a one-dimensional offense, and if the Vol’s passing game is as anemic as it was against Texas A&M the running game might follow suit. Joe has to stay away from the backbreaking turnover as well because, in a tough road environment, things can go downhill fast. Lastly, when you have the build of Cam Newton it would be nice to run like him. There’s no reason that Joe Milton should be scared of running the ball as he can run over most defenders in his path. Joe showed flashes of this last week, but in my opinion, he will have to embrace his physicality for the whole game and lay the wood to any defender in his path. This might be Joe Milton’s last chance to step up and have an effective game, and if he is unable to, Nico talk will only get louder. So please, Joe, for the sake of all the fans in your corner, go out and make yourself a legend.

Nick Saban vs. Josh Heupel

Nick Saban has probably been waiting for this matchup for a long time. He would never admit that, but I suspect the loss in Neyland Stadium last year has kept him up at night. This is the reason that I think Alabama will come out and play the best game they’ve played all year, as Saban will have his team ready to play. Therefore, it is up to Josh Heupel to have a stellar game plan of his own when his team takes the field in Tuscaloosa. I don’t expect the Vols to get blown out in this game, but if Josh Heupel and the Vols poop their pants like they did in Gainesville that might just come to fruition. Josh Heupel outcoached Saban in Neyland last year, but outcoaching Saban two games in a row would be a monumental accomplishment. I just need Josh Heupel to draw up an offense that can function on the road. For example, get set and snap the ball without a penalty, have something on offense resembling a competent passing game, and finish drives in the red zone. These are all simple tasks that the Vols must accomplish on Saturday. However, these simple tasks might just keep you in the game, what the Vols need to do to win is a list of tasks that I don’t get paid to figure out. However, Josh Heupel does get paid to figure this out, and the taxpaying Vol fans in Tennessee who make Heupel the highest-paid State employee deserve a gameplan better than what he came up with at Florida.

Prediction

I think the last key is where the difference in this game takes place. The Saban revenge game is real, and he has proven that in the past. The Vols will need the best effort they’ve had all season to be victorious on Saturday, and I just don’t see it happening on the road in Tuscaloosa. The passing game getting right in Bryant-Denny is wishful thinking. The road crowd not causing issues for a struggling QB is wishful thinking. The defense not allowing a few back-breaking Milroe scrambles is wishful thinking. While the Vols do have a chance against the Tide I just think a few crucial mistakes from Milton and the defense are inevitable, and I expect those mistakes to be the difference in a rock-fight type of game.

Alabama – 24

Tennessee – 20

Featured image via @AstroSmokeyX