Saturday’s college football lineup includes a primetime showdown between the Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide. It’s 5-1 every time. Tennessee is ranked No. 11 and Alabama is No. 6 in both the AP and Coaches polls.
Here are my predictions between Tennessee and Alabama.
Odds between Tennessee and Alabama
– Moneyline: Tennessee +245 / Alabama -305
– Point spread: Tennessee +8.5 (-115) / Alabama -8.5 (-105)
– More/less: more than 59.5 (-105) / less than 59.5 (-115)
Best Bet #1 of Tennessee vs. Alabama: Under 59.5 (-115)
The Crimson Tide are the superior team in this game and they are playing at home, so they should be able to dictate the pace at which this game is played. That means it will likely be slower and more methodical than the Volunteers would like, as the Tide prefers to run the ball and run the clock. As such, there may not be enough possessions for either team to win this match on aggregate.
Alabama running backs Jam Miller and Kevin Riley take a lot of pressure off quarterback Ty Simpson. The likely game script calls for the Crimson Tide to grab a quick lead and then milk the clock with Miller and Riley. The Tide started their 2025 with a touchdown drive against FSU that lasted almost nine minutes. It had four drives longer than five minutes in an upset win at UGA and held the ball for more than seven minutes twice against Vanderbilt. In last weekend’s win over Missouri it was a nine-minute drive.
Tennessee may also need to run the ball more than usual. That’s because Alabama’s pass defense is incredible. Head coach Kalen DeBoer’s team ranks third nationally in that department, allowing just 135.7 yards per game. It’s also worth noting that ‘Bama ranks in the top 20 in the nation in red zone defense.
Finally, the Volunteers recorded three turnovers in their only previous true road game this season at Mississippi State.
Tennessee vs. Alabama best bet on player: DeSean Bishop scores a touchdown (+130)
Although he shares Tennessee’s backfield with Star Thomas, Bishop is generally the RB when it matters most. The sophomore from Knoxville has racked up 15, 11 and 14 carries in the Vols’ three SEC games. Thomas, on the other hand, hasn’t rushed more than 10 times in any conference game. Bishop has been particularly popular in recent weeks after scoring at least one touchdown in three straight games, including two against UAB. Last week against Arkansas he had 14 carries for 146 yards and a score. Bishop should be in line for a big night. If he has a lot of money, he has a lot of value in finding the end zone.
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