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The Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide are preparing to face off this week in a rivalry game that carries immense significance for both programs. With each team already carrying a loss on its record, the matchup is essentially a must-win for both squads. Alabama enters the contest after a narrow defeat to Georgia, while Tennessee fell to Texas three weekends ago.
In anticipation of the game, Vols on SI spoke with Bama Central insider Theodore Fernandez, who offered detailed insights into the Alabama side and provided a final score prediction.
Keelon Russell's Growth and Challenges
Fernandez began by praising quarterback Keelon Russell, who impressed in Alabama's 56-23 victory over Mississippi State two weeks ago, throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns. "He continues to develop so fast for this Alabama team, and the next step for him would be to apply the lessons learned in last week's loss to Georgia," Fernandez said. "I think Neyland will have an almost neutralizing effect on him, in the sense that he's a pretty similar player to what he was against the Bulldogs."
Fernandez emphasized Russell's exceptional abilities: "Russell is a special player. There is no throw that is out of his range, no pocket too collapsed, no play too broken down for him to salvage it. He hasn't thrown an interception in 18 quarters, and that, to me, is the biggest key for him. He has to continue to play smart; he has to know when to take the checkdown, and he has to keep the ball out of harm's way. He's going to make plays in this game that leave viewers with their jaws dropped. Can he continue to do that while avoiding the game-altering mistake?"
X-Factors on Both Sides of the Ball
With Alabama dealing with injuries, Fernandez identified two X-factors for the game. On offense, he chose wide receiver Derek Meadows. "Meadows led Alabama in receiving in its spring game, but I've been high on him since he got to campus. The 6-foot-5, 212-pound sophomore reminds me a ton of Hakeem Butler. He's been a physical blocker when he's on the field, which has been less than I expected entering the season. Meadows has four catches through six games, and I wouldn't be shocked if he doubles that number this week with Ryan Coleman-Williams out," Fernandez explained.
On defense, Fernandez selected defensive lineman Kedrick Bingley-Jones. "Bingley-Jones is in his seventh season of college football and spent the last two years at Mississippi State. He's big and physical, and has shown some flashes, but they have generally come as a byproduct of the players next to him. With starter Terrance Green out and DeSean Bishop looming, there is so much pressure on Bingley-Jones to hold his own, and I frankly don't know if he's up to the task," he said.
Impact of Ryan Coleman-Williams' Absence
Fernandez also addressed the absence of star wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, a potential early NFL Draft pick. "Lotzeir Brooks has been a near-perfect WR2, but so much of his production has been dependent on the coverage that Coleman-Williams draws. Alabama's receivers are going to have a much harder time creating separation in this game. There is still so much talent in the room, with the aforementioned Meadows, freshman Cederian Morgan, and NC State transfer Noah Rogers, who has been working his way back into the mix after missing the first three weeks with an injury. This receiving corps has also gotten so much better in its scramble drills over the past three weeks, and I don't think Coleman-Williams' absence will have much impact on Russell's ability to find guys downfield when plays break down," Fernandez noted.
Final Prediction
Fernandez concluded with his prediction: Alabama 35, Tennessee 17. "Last year's game could have looked very different. Zabien Brown's pick-six was essentially a 14-point game, and, without it, we could have seen that contest go down to the wire. I believe Tennessee needs a moment like that to keep it competitive entering the fourth quarter. Alabama has not been the most polished team in the country, and Xavier Gilliam and this defense should be keeping Ryan Grubb up at night right now. But if Russell is polished, the run game competent, and Bishop anything short of superhuman, this is a game Alabama wins convincingly," he said.
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