SEC Week 7 · The Third Saturday in October · 109th Meeting
No. 6/7 · Away

Alabama

Crimson Tide · 5–1 · 3–1 SEC
AT
No. 14 · Home

Tennessee

Volunteers · 5–1 · 2–1 SEC
Saturday, Oct. 17, 20263:30 PM ET (2:30 CT)Neyland Stadium · KnoxvilleABCAlabama −8.5 / −7.5O/U 51.5 / 50.5

The call

Alabama owns the cleaner quarterback and the better turnover profile. Tennessee owns the disruptive front and the stronger ground game. The separation is smaller than the spread.

Projected final
31—20

Alabama by eleven

Confidence: Medium (both research sources agree). Russell's efficiency and Alabama's red-zone finishing separate a game Tennessee keeps tight on the ground and in the trenches.

Why it lands there

  1. 01The quarterback gap. Russell (1,599 yds, 12 TD / 2 INT; consensus Heisman top-4) in a bounce-back spot against George MacIntyre's second career start, behind an offensive line missing its starting left guard, after a 3-turnover outing at Arkansas. Alabama can load the box — the Texas blueprint — without respecting the pass.
  2. 02Red-zone finishing. Alabama has scored on all 27 red-zone trips (23 TDs), ranked No. 1 nationally. Tennessee's red-zone defense is respectable (#32) but down three defensive backs, including starting safety Edrees Farooq. Field goals instead of touchdowns are how underdogs stay close; Alabama finishes drives.
  3. 03The collision: Bishop vs Alabama's run defense. Tennessee's 228.3-yds/gm ground game (Bishop: 678 yds, 6.3 ypc) meets an Alabama front allowing 99.8 yds/gm and 3.0 ypc — but without starting DT Terrance Green. If Bishop cracks 150 yards, Tennessee can win ugly; held under ~90, the Vols have no proven second option.
  4. 04The trenches, both ways. Tennessee's nation-leading pass rush (24–25 sacks; DT Xavier Gilliam) hunts a backup center — Mal Waldrep Jr. making his first start at center in front of 101,915 — the Vols' clearest path to an upset. But Tennessee's own protection (10 sacks allowed vs Texas, backup left guard) faces Thompkins, Metz and Hill with a young quarterback.
  5. 05Turnovers. Alabama's +7 margin is confirmed across both sources (14 takeaways, 9 interceptions); Tennessee's sits at +1 (footballdb-derived) to ≈0 (est.). Points off turnovers: Alabama 58–20 through five games vs Tennessee 10–9 through four. Against the most opportunistic defense MacIntyre has faced, at least one short field is likely.
3.8SP+: Alabama by 3.8
7.7FPI: Alabama by 7.7
27–20Knox News (Siegel): Alabama
34–24Roll 'Bama Roll staff: Alabama
Also: Roll Tide Wire (Melton) Alabama 33–23 · EA Sports College Football 27 sim: Tennessee 44–37 (a video-game outlier, noted for fun only) · Source names below; research compiled Saturday morning, Oct. 17, 2026, stats through Week 6.

Team snapshot

Season averages through Week 6. Where the two research sources disagree, both figures are shown — the first from the Alabama-view research, the second from the Tennessee-view research.

Scoring offenseAlabama 44.2 ppg (3rd FBS, 2nd SEC) · Tennessee 34.7 ppg (44th FBS, 9th SEC)
Scoring defenseAlabama 20.7 ppg (45th FBS, 8th SEC) · Tennessee 15.5 ppg (19th FBS, 2nd SEC)
Total offenseAlabama 437.0 yds/gm (35th FBS, 6th SEC); Tenn. research: 452.5 · Tennessee 398.5 yds/gm (53rd FBS, 10th SEC)
Total defenseAlabama 320.3 yds/gm (55th FBS, 11th SEC); Tenn. research: 336.3 (54th) · Tennessee 272.3 yds/gm (23rd FBS, 5th SEC)
Yards per playAlabama 6.49 gained / 4.93 allowed; Tenn. research: ~7.0 / ~5.4 · Tennessee 5.55 gained / 4.11 allowed (~6.2 per Tenn. research)
Rushing offenseAlabama 182.2 yds/gm (7th SEC), 4.95 ypc · Tennessee 228.3 yds/gm (14th FBS, 2nd SEC), 5.25 ypc (~5.5 per Tenn. research)
Rushing defenseAlabama 99.8 yds/gm (25th FBS, 5th SEC), 3.0 ypc · Tennessee 132.5 yds/gm (59th FBS, 14th SEC)
Passing offenseAlabama 254.8 yds/gm (6th SEC); Tenn. research: 270.3 · Tennessee 170.2 yds/gm (114th FBS, 15th SEC)
Pass defenseAlabama 220.5 allowed (102nd FBS, 12th SEC); Tenn. research: 236.5 (110th) · Tennessee 139.8 allowed (11th FBS, 2nd SEC)
3rd-down conversionAlabama 48.6% (34/70); D allows 31.7% · Tennessee 35.4% (28/79); D allows 33.3%
Turnover marginAlabama +7 (+1.17/gm) · Tennessee +1 (+0.17/gm, footballdb-derived); Tenn. research: ≈0 (est.)
Red zoneAlabama: scores on all 27 trips (23 TD) — No. 1 nationally · Tennessee red-zone D: scores allowed on 13 of 17 (8 TD, 5 FG), #32 nationally
Team stats: The Football Database (footballdb), rolltide.com, utsports.com, sports-reference.com, through six games. Kickoff confirmed 3:30 p.m. ET by Knox News, Tennessean, UT Sports and sportradar; one On3 article listed 6:30 p.m. CT and is treated as an error (see caveats).

Position by position

Each offense matched against the defense it will actually see. Where the two research sources agree on the edge, that edge is shown; where they conflict, the card is marked Contested and both reads are presented honestly. Filter by position group, or scan all eight.

Alabama QB vs Vols pass D

Alabama
Keelon Russell
Yards / TD–INT1,599 · 12–2
Comp. / YPA67.7% (113/167) · 9.7
Rushing225 yds, 4 TD
ContextHeisman top-4; career-worst vs Georgia (16/30, 185, 1 TD)
Tennessee coverage
Pass yds allowed139.8/g (11th FBS, 2nd SEC)
Sacks / INT24–25 · 5
InjuriesS Farooq, S Lewis, CB Richard all OUT
Left standingS Dejuan Lane (2 INT, incl. pick-six)

Read: A Heisman-contending passer against an elite-on-paper secondary missing three defensive backs. Tennessee has allowed exactly two offensive TDs in each SEC game — but hasn't faced a quarterback of this caliber. (Both sources agree: edge Alabama. Completion figures differ slightly between sources: 67.7% team / 9.7 YPA vs 67.9% / 9.9 Y/A, 172.8 rating; Tennessee's sack total is 24 vs 25.)

footballdb · RTI · On3 · The Bama Buzz · sportradar · Knox News

Alabama RBs vs Vols front

Contested
Alabama rushing
Yards / game182.2 (7th SEC)
Yards / carry4.95
CommitteeBrown 301 · Hill 262 · Russell legs
Character"Efficient but not particularly explosive"
Tennessee front
Rush yds allowed132.5/g (14th SEC) — the soft spot
Team sacks / TFL24–25 · 48 (4th nat'l)
Xavier Gilliam7.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks / 5 sacks, 10 TFL, 2 FF
Mariyon Dye5.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks

Alabama view: A productive committee against Tennessee's weakest defensive split — edge Alabama.
Tennessee view: A negative-play machine (25 sacks, 48 TFL) facing a non-explosive run game — edge Tennessee.
The merge: the sources point opposite ways here; both facts above stand as stated. (Gilliam's line differs between sources: 7.5 TFL / 4.0 sacks vs 5 sacks / 10 TFL / 2 FF.)

footballdb · On3 · 247Sports · Roll 'Bama Roll · Rocky Top Insider

Alabama WR/TE vs Vols DBs

Contested
Alabama targets
Team pass yds254.8/g (6th SEC)
Leading WROUT — identity disputed (see caveats)
Step upBrooks 389/1 · Scott 224/3 · Rogers, Morgan
TEJosh Ford questionable
Vols DBs
Pass yds allowed139.8/g — elite numbers
MissingFarooq, Lewis, Richard all OUT
Dejuan Lane9 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 sacks, INT vs Auburn
SEC playExactly 2 offensive TDs allowed per game

Alabama view: Russell's weapons still win against a depleted secondary — edge Alabama, narrower without the top WR.
Tennessee view: Depleted but disciplined; Lane's playmaking and the two-TDs-per-SEC-game pattern hold — edge Tennessee.
The merge: the edge genuinely splits on the top-receiver injury; both reads are presented as researched.

footballdb · On3 · Knox News · 247Sports

Alabama OL vs Vols DL

Tennessee
Alabama protection
Sacks allowed16 (six games); ~9–12 est.
Vs Georgia4 sacks allowed
CenterDelgatty OUT; backup Waldrep Jr. (1st start)
Backup detail150 snaps at guard; 3 pressures/1 sack allowed
Tennessee pressure
Team sacks24 / 25 — nation's best
Xavier Gilliam5 sacks, 10 TFL — top PFF interior-DL grade
Weathersby / Dye4.5 / 4.0 sacks
SchemeKnowles heavy pressure packages

Read: The game's clearest trench mismatch — and Tennessee's best path to an upset: a backup center making line calls against the nation's top pass rush in front of 101,915. (Both sources agree: edge Tennessee. Sacks-allowed totals differ: 16 over six games vs ~9–12 est.; Tennessee's sack total 24 vs 25.)

On3 · Tuscaloosa News (PFF) · Knox News · 247Sports

Tennessee QB vs Tide pass D

Alabama
MacIntyre (starter)
Season32/49, 395 yds, 2 TD / 2 INT
At Arkansas18/29, 247, 1 TD, 2 INT, 1 fumble lost
Brandon (backup)61/101, 697, 7 TD / 1 INT; shoulder, available
StatusMacIntyre confirmed starter; Brandon role unclear
Alabama coverage
Pass yds allowed220.5/g (102nd) / 236.5 (110th)
Completions allowed60.6%
Interceptions9 in six games
InjuriesDB Nick Sherman OUT

Read: Alabama gives up yards but punishes mistakes — and Tennessee's young QBs have made them (3 MacIntyre turnovers at Arkansas). The Texas blueprint: load the box and dare the pass. (Both sources agree: edge Alabama. Yards-allowed figure differs: 220.5/102nd vs 236.5/110th; MacIntyre's season line differs slightly between sources.)

On3 · RTI · ESPN (Thamel) · Volquest · Knox News · footballdb

Tennessee RBs vs Tide front

Contested
Tennessee rushing
Yards / game228.3 (14th FBS, 2nd SEC)
DeSean Bishop678 yds, 8 TD, 6.3 ypc
Recent form220/3 TD vs Auburn · 138 at Arkansas
HelpMorris 332; Bishop ran 123 vs Bama in 2025
Alabama front
Rush yds allowed99.8/g (25th FBS, 5th SEC)
Per carry3.0 — elite
InjuriesDT Green, DL Beaman, 2 LBs OUT; Hill probable
CharacterStrength vs dented strength

Alabama view: Strength meets dented strength — call it even.
Tennessee view: An elite run defense, only thinned at the edges — edge Alabama.
The merge: both sources agree this is the collision of the game; they split on whether Green's absence is enough to level it. (Rush ypc: 3.0 vs 3.03; Tennessee's team ypc: 5.25 vs ~5.5.)

footballdb · On3 · 247Sports · Roll 'Bama Roll

Tennessee WR/TE vs Tide DBs

Alabama
Tennessee targets
Team pass yds170.2/g (114th FBS, 15th SEC)
Matthews22 rec, 396 yds, 3 TD, 18.0 Y/C
Staley / Brame193 yds / 130 yds
DepthNo other WR has caught a pass in SEC play (1 for 2 yds)
Tide DBs
Interceptions9 in six games
Zabien Brown4 PBU, 1 FR
SchemeWommack zone matches Heupel's wide splits
OutTE Ethan Davis; WR/KR Joakim Dodson

Read: Matthews is the one explosive threat in the offense's weakest unit, and two more pass-catchers are out. Low passing volume plus an opportunistic secondary tilts it to Alabama. (Both sources agree: edge Alabama.)

footballdb · ESPN · On3 · Roll 'Bama Roll

Tennessee OL vs Tide DL

Alabama
Tennessee protection
Sacks allowed17 (incl. 10 vs Texas); ~17–19 est.
Brandon sacks16 in five starts
Left guardWendell Moe Jr. OUT (season)
3rd down35.4% (28/79)
Alabama pressure
Team sacks17 generated
Devan Thompkins3 sacks, 4.5 TFL, 25 tackles, 1 FF
LBsMetz and Hill bring pressure; Hill probable
NoteGreen's absence hurts depth

Read: Equal raw sack totals, but Alabama's pressure is distributed across the front and meets a Tennessee QB room prone to holding the ball — now behind a backup left guard. (Both sources agree: edge Alabama; Tennessee view calls it slight. Sacks-allowed: 17 vs ~17–19 est.)

footballdb · On3 · 247Sports · ESPN

Possession pressure

Alabama's +7 margin is confirmed across both research sources. Tennessee's full-season giveaway and takeaway totals carry (est.) labels where the two sources differ, kept exactly as each source wrote them.

Alabama margin+7

7 giveaways (2 INT, 5 fumbles lost) · 14 takeaways (9 INT, 5 recoveries) · +1.17/gm

Tennessee margin+1 / ≈0

+1 (+0.17/gm), footballdb-derived: 8 giveaways (3 INT, 5 lost), 9 takeaways (5 INT, 4 recoveries) · ≈0 (est.) per Tennessee research

Points off turnovers58–20

Alabama, through five games · Tennessee 10–9, through four games

MacIntyre at Arkansas3

Giveaways last week (2 INT, 1 fumble lost) — vs the most opportunistic defense he has faced

What remains open: Tennessee's exact season margin — +1 from the footballdb-derived team totals vs ≈0 (est.) from the Tennessee research's game-log estimates (giveaways ~6 (est.): 3 INTs, 3 fumbles lost; takeaways ~6 (est.): 3 INTs, 3 recoveries). No team-published full-season turnover-margin table was found for either side; Alabama's figures are anchored to its official 5-game stats PDF plus the Georgia game.
Sources: footballdb team totals through Week 6 · Tennessee research estimates from game logs and beat reporting · Arkansas game line via On3 / sportradar.

Field goals & field position

Alabama has the stronger demonstrated accuracy (9/9 vs. 6/7); Tennessee owns the longer verified make (49 vs. 45). Neither kicker has made one from 50+. Punting can't be compared cleanly — season and net figures are partial on both sides.

Alabama · Conor Talty

9/9100%
Long 45
20–292/2
30–393/3
40–494/4
PAT29/29 (Ala. research) / 31/31 (Tenn. research)
NotesSEC ST Player of the Week (Wk 3); 38 straight makes; 50+ untested
PunterAlex Asparuhov: 43.0 avg, 42.1 net (team totals) / 48.6 ypp thru 3 gms (early)
Also on rosterLorcan Quinn (Marshall transfer) — big leg
On3 · SI · 247Sports · Knox News · footballdb. Research-time PAT totals differ.

Tennessee · Cooper Ranvier

6/785.7%
Long 49
30–393/3
40–493/3
50+0/1
PAT19/19 thru 4 gms (Ala. research) / 25/25 (Tenn. research)
At Arkansas1/2 — 49-yd make, 51-yd miss
PunterJackson Ross: 45.6 avg (4 gms); 46.3 on 7 punts vs Texas; 1 blocked, ret. for TD vs GT
Kickoffs / returnsTurbyville 81.8% touchbacks (18 early) · Moss 13.6 yds/PR, 57-yd TD vs Texas · UT last in SEC in PR avg allowed (16.2)
On3 · SI · 247Sports · Knox News · footballdb. Ranvier: Louisville transfer, 3rd-team All-ACC 2025.

Edge: Alabama, slightly — both sources agree. Talty has been perfect; Ranvier is reliable with the longer verified make (49). Caveat: Talty has not attempted a 50+ yarder this season, so his long range is untested.

Ball placement & rushing upside

Where premium tracking metrics were unavailable, both research sources use clearly labeled proxies rather than pretending the missing numbers exist.

9.9

Russell yards per attempt — 12 TD, 2 INT

PFF-style adjusted completion %, on-target rate and deep-ball accuracy are not publicly available for any of the three quarterbacks. The comparison uses completion %, yards per attempt, passer rating and TD:INT as proxies — and Russell leads MacIntyre and Brandon on every one.

RTI · On3 · rotoballer/ESPN · sportradar.
  • No public on-target or adjusted completion rates were found for any quarterback; Tennessee has no comparable deep-ball split.
  • MacIntyre: 32/49, 65.3%, 395 yds, 2 TD / 2 INT this season (Alabama-view research); Tennessee-view research breaks it out as 18/29 at Arkansas plus 8/10 in relief vs Auburn — the season figures differ slightly between sources.
  • Brandon's rushing yardage is disputed: 53 att / 236 yds (ESPN, via airitoutbro) vs 130 yds (footballdb). No single figure is presented as fact.
  • Bishop's explosive-run proxy: 465 yards after contact and 18 runs of 10+ yards (Tennessee-view research); official explosive-run rate and yards-after-contact were not published in either source.
  • Alabama's rushing proxy: 4.95 team yards per carry — Brown 301, Hill 262, plus Russell's legs (225 yds / 4 TD; 223 through four games per Tennessee-view research).
  • Line-play proxy: sacks allowed and sacks generated; public line-yards and TFL-allowed splits were unavailable. Full-season sacks-allowed totals are unconfirmed (Tennessee est. ~17–19; Alabama est. ~9–12); only game-level figures are confirmed (10 allowed by UT vs Texas; 4 by Alabama vs Georgia; 16 taken by Brandon in five starts).
Covers · footballdb · ESPN · Rocky Top Insider · airitoutbro.

Injury report & matchup impact

Union of both sources' injury tables — no player appears in both lists, so nothing was deduplicated. From the Friday 10/16 SEC availability reports; the final update (~90 minutes before kickoff) had not been released at research time.

Alabama

PlayerPosStatusMatchup impact
Racin DelgattyStarting COUT (leg; doubtful → out 10/16)High — the biggest single injury in the game. Backup Mal Waldrep Jr. makes his first start at center (sophomore; 150 snaps at guard; 3 pressures / 1 sack allowed per PFF via Tuscaloosa News) against a 24–25-sack Tennessee front in a deafening road stadium. OC Ryan Grubb has praised his readiness.
Ryan Coleman-WilliamsWR (team leader, 23 rec / 415 yds / 4 TD per Knox News)OUT (head injury vs Georgia; knee + head per Tenn.-view research)Moderate. Removes Russell's most productive target; Brooks and Scott must replace ~69 ypg. Week-to-week beyond this game. (See the data-gap note on the receiving-leader identity discrepancy.)
Terrance GreenStarting DT (2.5 sacks)OUTModerate-high. Weakens the interior against the SEC's #2 rushing attack at exactly the wrong time.
Jeremiah BeamanDLOUTCompounds the Green loss; the DL rotation thins against a run-heavy opponent.
Desmond Umeozulu / Cayden JonesLBOUTLinebacker depth hit; Justin Hill (probable) becomes more important against Bishop.
Nick ShermanDBOUTMinor — secondary depth against a limited Tennessee passing game.
Josh FordTEQUESTIONABLEPlayed last week with a broken arm; if limited, red-zone packages shrink slightly.
Justin HillLBPROBABLEExpected to play; a pressure piece (with Luke Metz) Tennessee must account for.

Tennessee

PlayerPosStatusMatchup impact
Wendell Moe Jr.Starting LGOUT (season)High. A line that allowed 10 sacks vs Texas loses its starting guard against an Alabama front with 17 sacks. Run blocking for Bishop suffers too.
Edrees FarooqStarting S (knee)OUT (season)High — the Vols' single biggest vulnerability. With Lewis and Richard also out, Tennessee faces a Heisman-caliber QB down three defensive backs.
Ethan DavisStarting TE (knee)OUT (season)Moderate. Loses the top red-zone tight end (2 TD catches) and a safety valve for a young quarterback; DaSaahn Brame (130 rec yds) steps up.
Dylan LewisS (foot)OUT (season)Second safety out — secondary depth is the crisis point.
Jadais RichardCB (upper body)OUT (season)More snaps for young corners against Alabama's receivers.
Jaedon HarmonLB (knee)OUT (season)Moderate; thins the second level against Alabama's run committee.
Joakim DodsonWR/KR (leg)OUT (season)Minor-moderate; hits the return game and receiver depth.
Faizon BrandonQB (right shoulder)AVAILABLE (removed from Friday report)Wild card. The freshman is cleared but not starting; MacIntyre is confirmed as the starter, leaving Brandon as a change-of-pace or relief option with real rushing ability.
SEC Friday 10/16 availability reports via On3, Knox News, 247Sports, Tuscaloosa News. All seven Tennessee outs are season-ending injuries, per Knox News. Injury impact is reflected in the matchup cards and The call above.

Home / away, form & trends

Recent results, series history and the market — combined from both research sources.

The shape of both teams

AlabamaOpened 5-0 with 45+ points in every game (first time since 2018) before Georgia held the Tide to 17 in a 20-17 home loss on 10/10. 2-0 on the road (45-17 at Kentucky, 56-23 at Mississippi State); three SEC wins by an average of 30.6 points (RTI).
Neyland warningAlabama has lost its last two trips to Knoxville (2022, 2024), committing 32 combined penalties in those games (247Sports).
Alabama resultsW 48-10 East Carolina · W 45-17 @Kentucky · W 50-36 Florida State · W 49-18 South Carolina · W 56-23 @Mississippi State · L 17-20 Georgia
Tennessee3-1 at home per Alabama-view research (4-1 per Tennessee-view research — sources disagree on the count), the lone loss a 20-17 defeat to Texas. Won two straight one-score games: 24-14 vs Auburn, 24-17 at Arkansas — the program's first win in Fayetteville since 2001.
The defense"Much improved" under first-year DC Jim Knowles (USA Today) but has not faced an offense of Alabama's caliber. Has allowed exactly two offensive TDs in each of its three SEC games.
The offensePassing game "hasn't been as explosive" (Knox News); the line allowed 10 sacks vs Texas, with starting LG Moe now out. SEC scoring pattern: 17 vs Texas, 24 vs Auburn, 24 at Arkansas — a ceiling problem in league play.
Tennessee resultsW 56-9 Furman · W 45-24 @Georgia Tech · W 42-9 Kennesaw State · L 17-20 Texas · W 24-14 Auburn · W 24-17 @Arkansas
Series109th meeting. Last year: Alabama 37, Tennessee 20 in Tuscaloosa (10/18/2025). Tennessee lost 15 straight in the series from 2007-21 but has won 2 of the last 4; the home team has won each of the last four (UT 52-49 in 2022, Bama in 2023, UT in 2024, Bama 37-20 in 2025).
Throwback touchBoth teams wear their home jerseys — crimson and orange — for the first time since 1971, an arrangement agreed for the 2026 and 2027 games (Knox News).
The Wommack factorAlabama DC Kane Wommack gets his third shot at Heupel's offense; his simple zone coverage has held Tennessee to 24 and 20 points in the last two meetings. Roll 'Bama Roll projects Bishop over 100 yards but Tennessee to ~17 points via turnovers and sacks.
MarketAlabama -8.5 (FanDuel) / -7.5 (BetMGM); total 51.5 / 50.5; moneyline Alabama -325 / Tennessee +260 (BetMGM, via Knox News, Fri Oct 16). Models: SP+ Alabama by 3.8 · FPI Alabama by 7.7.
StakesBoth teams are 5-1 with tricky November slates ahead. The loser leaves Knoxville with two losses before Halloween.
Form and trends: 247Sports, Knox News, USA Today, RTI, Vols Wire, Roll 'Bama Roll · schedules: footballdb. Broadcast: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Katie George on ABC. 101,915 — 32nd straight sellout (UT Sports).

Sources & caveats

Union of both research sources' source lists and data-gap notes. Statistics are a dated snapshot through Week 6, compiled Saturday morning, October 17, 2026. Injury status, starting quarterback and betting lines can change before kickoff. No URLs were supplied in the research sources — names are listed as text.

  1. The Football Database (footballdb)Team & player stats, schedules — Alabama and Tennessee pages, through Week 6.
  2. rolltide.com (official Alabama statistics)Team, player, kicking, punting and turnover totals.
  3. utsports.com (official Tennessee stats)Cumulative stats PDFs, venue and sellout streak.
  4. sports-reference.comTeam statistics.
  5. Knox News / USA Today NetworkGame info & odds (BetMGM line), injuries, projections (Emmett Siegel: Alabama 27-20).
  6. TennesseanGame info; Coaches Poll rank.
  7. USA Today College Sports WireOdds (FanDuel line); Knowles defense assessment.
  8. sportradarGame logs (Georgia, Arkansas).
  9. On3 / VolquestSEC availability reports; quarterback news.
  10. 247SportsInjuries; trends; Gilliam figures.
  11. Tuscaloosa NewsWaldrep PFF detail; penalties trend.
  12. Rocky Top InsiderQB news (Heupel 10/12).
  13. rotoballer / ESPNQuarterback stats.
  14. The Bama BuzzRussell Heisman top-4 standing.
  15. Pete Thamel / ESPNMacIntyre starter confirmation.
  16. airitoutbro (ESPN-sourced)Brandon rushing figure (disputed).
  17. SISpecial teams.
  18. Vols WireRed-zone rankings; Nolan model.
  19. RotoWireStatistics.
  20. Roll 'Bama RollAnalysis; Wommack track record; staff projection (Alabama 34-24).
  21. Roll Tide WireProjections (Melton: Alabama 33-23); EA Sports sim note.
  22. SEC Friday 10/16 availability reportsInjury statuses for both teams.

Data gaps — read before citing

  • Advanced accuracy metrics unavailable: Adjusted completion %, on-target rate and deep-ball accuracy (PFF-style) are not publicly available for any QB; completion %, YPA, passer rating and TD:INT serve as labeled proxies.
  • Explosive-play data unavailable: Explosive-run rates and yards-after-contact are not published in the sources found; yards per carry, game highs, and Bishop's 465 yards after contact / 18 runs of 10+ yards are used as proxies instead.
  • Team TFL totals: Not published in the Alabama-view research (sack totals used as the pass-rush proxy); the Tennessee-view research cites Tennessee at 48 TFL, 4th nationally.
  • Unresolved conflict — Alabama's receiving leader: footballdb lists "Ryan Williams, 415 yds," while Knox News (10/16) reports Ryan Coleman-Williams leads the team with 23 rec / 415 yds / 4 TD. The identical yardage with different names could not be reconciled before publication.
  • Unresolved conflict — Brandon's rushing yards: 236 yds (ESPN via airitoutbro) vs 130 yds (footballdb).
  • Unresolved conflict — Tennessee's home record: 3-1 (Alabama-view research) vs 4-1 (Tennessee-view research).
  • Availability reports are Friday's: The final Saturday SEC availability update (~90 minutes before kickoff) had not been released at research time.
  • Kicker range caveats: Conor Talty has not attempted a field goal of 50+ yards this season (long 45). Ranvier's PAT total differs by research time (19/19 through four games vs 25/25); Talty's too (29/29 vs 31/31).
  • Kickoff-time note: One On3 article listed "6:30 p.m. CT"; every other source (Knox News, Tennessean, UT Sports, sportradar) confirms 3:30 p.m. ET, so the On3 listing is treated as an error.
  • Sacks allowed: Full-season totals unconfirmed for both teams (Tennessee est. ~17-19; Alabama est. ~9-12). Only game-level figures are confirmed: 10 allowed by UT vs Texas; 4 by Alabama vs Georgia; 16 taken by Brandon in five starts.
  • Punting: Season and net punting averages are partial only (early-season or single-game figures) on both sides.
  • Snapshot conflicts: Where the two research sources disagree on a team stat (total offense/defense, yards per play, pass yards, Alabama pass yards allowed), both figures are shown side-by-side rather than reconciled.