Alabama’s Amari Cooper has burned the Vols before. Stopping him would be big in Tennessee’s efforts to spring an upset Saturday. PHOTO: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Who: Alabama Crimson Tide — Tuscaloosa, AL
Distance From Knoxville: 314 miles
Head coach: Nick Saban (8th season with Alabama, 85-16, 49-11 SEC)
Conference: SEC
2014 Record: 6-1 (3-1)
Ranking: No. 4 AP/No. 4 Coaches
All time series: Alabama leads 37-51-8
Last meeting: Alabama won in Tuscaloosa last season, 45-10
Leading Passer: Blake Sims — 1,748 yards, 13 TDs, 3 INTs
Leading Rusher: T.J. Yeldon — 106 carries, 566 yards, 4 TDs
Leading Receiver: Amari Cooper — 62 catches, 908 yards, 7 TDs
It’s that time of year again, Vol fans. It’s Alabama week, a week that incites hatred and passion more than any week for fans of the Vols, and with good reason. The Crimson Tide are arguably the Vols’ biggest rival, and this Saturday’s meeting will mark the 97th time the two have met.
It will also mark the 1st time a certain offensive coordinator has been back in Knoxville since 2009, but more of that in a moment.
When the Vols go up against the Crimson Tide, they will be facing something they have gotten used to during the 7-game losing streak to Alabama: a stout defense.
Alabama comes in ranked in the top 5 in the SEC in most defensive categories. They are 1st in rushing defense (63.4 yards per game) and total defense (262.1 YPG), 2nd in scoring defense (13.1 PPG) and in yards per play (4.38), 4th in sacks (19), and 5th in passing defense (198.7 YPG).
The worst thing the Vols could face right now is another fierce defense after being manhandled by one last Saturday in a 34-3 loss to Ole Miss. It also doesn’t help that it looks as though Alabama has finally found its stride after a 59-0 annihilation of Texas A&M last weekend.
Before last Saturday’s game against Texas A&M, many Vol fans thought the match-up against the Crimson Tide might be a more winnable game than the one against Ole Miss due to Alabama’s struggles on offense. The rout against the Aggies, however, leave many of those beliefs wavering.
Alabama’s offense is centered through a stellar rushing attack that is headed primarily by two running backs, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry. The duo have combined for 1,018 yards and 7 touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Quarterback Blake Sims is a threat on the ground as well, chipping in 208 rushing yards and 4 scores to go along with his 1,748 passing yards and 13 TD’s.
The other major threat on Alabama’s offense is wide receiver Amari Cooper. The junior receiver constitutes the majority of Alabama’s passing attack. Of the team’s 143 completions, Cooper has hauled in 62 of them. The next highest total on the team comes from senior receiver DeAndre White with 19 receptions.
Cooper has burned the Vols before, snagging 7 balls for 162 yards and 2 scores as a freshman in 2012 and catching another 5 passes for 75 yards and a TD in last season’s game. Expect Vols’ star cornerback Cam Sutton to be on Cooper all night, and the Vols will likely double team him for most of the night as well.
At least the Vols will be at home for this one, as Neyland Stadium is expected to be a sellout for the 3rd time in 5 home games this season so far. Fans will likely be extra exuberant because one Lane Kiffin will be back in town for the first time since he bolted for USC after one season as the Vols head coach.
If you thought the chants at the Florida game were bad, just wait till this game.
The Vols are currently 16.5 point underdogs to the Tide, and that line may only increase as the week goes on. The Vols have several offensive linemen banged-up, and quarterback Justin Worley is having to fight through the repeated beatings his body has endured so far this season.
Once again, the match-up to watch will be the Vols’ offensive line against Alabama’s front seven. And conversely, Tennessee’s front seven versus Alabama’s offensive line. Tennessee’s offensive line has given up 30 sacks so far, and the rushing game is averaging an SEC-worst 94 yards per game and 2.6 yards per carry. The Crimson Tide have registered 19 sacks on the season, and linebacker Xzavier Dickson leads the way with 5.5 sacks.
Alabama’s line, however, has only given up 7 sacks on the season, and their rushing attack is averaging 223.7 yards per game, including 5.2 yards per carry. The Vols’ defense has 17 sacks, and they are holding opponents to 159.6 yards per game on the ground.
Saturday’s game will, in all likelihood, see Alabama extend their winning streak over the Vols to 8 games. It shouldn’t be an easy one, however, as Tennessee’s defense will come ready to play. The offense will need to improve in a major way if the Vols hope to be competitive in the 4th quarter, however.
Of Note: Alabama head coach Nick Saban has done something very few head coaches can claim: He has never once had a losing season as head coach. Discounting the 2007 season with Alabama that saw wins vacated by the NCAA, Saban has never gone below .500 by season’s end. He has twice finished 6-6 (both with Michigan State), but he has never finished worse than that.
Aside from his first season with Alabama in 2007, Saban’s worst year with the Crimson Tide was a 10-3 year in 2010. Since 2008, his team has never won less than 10 games, going 72-9 from 2008-13. In that same span, the Vols have gone 33-41, including 6 of their 7 straight losses to Alabama by a combined score of 208-58. Nick Saban has never lost to the Vols.
Speaking of Streaks: How long has it been since the Vols have beaten a top 5 team? Try a decade. The last time the Vols defeated a top 5 opponent was in 2004 against Georgia when Tennessee prevailed 19-14 in Athens. You have to stretch back even further to find the last time the Vols did so at home as well.
All the way back to 1998 in fact.
The last time Tennessee defeated a top 5 opponent in Neyland Stadium was 16 years ago. The Vols defeated No. 2 Florida 20-17 on their way to an undefeated season and a National Championship. Since then, the Vols are winless in 6 attempts to knock off a top 5 team at home.
All stats gathered from cfbstats.com unless noted otherwise, and all series and streak info was gathered from collegefootball.bz