Tennessee at Alabama: Third Saturday in October Predictions

Can Alabama continue to prove that their loss to Texas A&M was a fluke two weeks ago? Will Tennessee be able to rise above the mess they encountered in the final minute of their game against Ole Miss Saturday?

Both the Crimson Tide and the Vols have plenty on their minds from Weeks 6 and 7, so how will they fare when they face off in Week 8? You don’t have to know much about college football or the SEC to know college football betting will be busy over this big matchup.

Tennessee at Alabama features two teams that both have something to prove.

Read on for what to expect from this week’s Tennessee at Alabama matchup.

Can Tennessee Stay Focused on the Task at Hand?

Lane Kiffin knew that the crowd would be a factor when bringing his Ole Miss Team to Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. He even prepared his team for the inevitable noise from playing a big game against the Vols at home.

What resulted has to be a distraction for Tennessee. With 54 seconds left and a missed first down, Tennessee fans went more than a little wild. Golf balls, cans, and even glass bottles were hurled onto the field, hitting coaches, cheerleaders, dance team members, and players.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel is frustrated with the disruptive and emotional fans. But, unfortunately, a few bad fans are the story now instead of his team’s performance against Ole Miss on Saturday. While they lost 31-26, they played hard and may have surprised some with how they stood up to rival Ole Miss.

The Vols Hendon Hooker threw for 233 yards and a touchdown and ran for 108 yards and a score.

Surely, regrouping and preparing for Alabama in Week 8 is challenging because of so much negative attention from the Week 7 matchup.

This is not the same Tennessee team of years past when players like Peyton Manning could step in and help keep the team focused. With all the distractions, it’s sure to be a problem for them heading to Alabama, especially for homecoming week.

Alabama Crimson Tide Ready Have Something to Prove on the Third Saturday in October

Alabama knows a little something about unfavorable press after their shocking loss in Week 6 to Texas A&M. It seems they were ready to prove that was behind them after they walloped Mississippi State on Saturday.

With Iowa’s surprise loss to Purdue, the Crimson Tide have to be eyeing a way to get back to the top of the NCAA rankings.

It’s hard to say which was more resounding for Alabama on Saturday: their offense scoring 49 points or their defense keeping the Bulldogs to only nine points. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns and had no interceptions.

Look for the Crimson Tide to continue this tough, take no prisoners, kind of play both offensively and defensively as they pound their way through the third week in October. It’s not often that Alabama has to deal with the press asking if their dynasty is over. Whether they admit it publicly or not, there’s some anger in that locker room. This isn’t a good thing for their opponents.

Alabama knows a win is a must to get to seven playoff appearances, the most of any college program. Another loss takes them out of the coveted playoff run.

Betting on Tennessee at Alabama for Homecoming Week

Tennessee at Alabama is a critical SEC matchup for both teams. But with some distractions and bad press, combined with an Alabama team that feels like they have something to prove, the Vols are likely to have another rough week when they visit Alabama at home.

Do you believe that Alabama will take out their frustration on Tennessee, or do you think the Volunteers can rally their team and pull off the upset? Either way, sign up for an account with BetMGM’s Tennessee sports betting site to place your bets on this and other college football matchups this week.