Tennessee Football: Play-by-play predictions for the Tennessee/Alabama game in Tuscaloosa.
By Colby Howell
Tennessee football heads to Tuscaloosa in search of its first SEC victory against the Alabama Crimson Tide. How bad can it get for the Volunteers?
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It’s gameday! But, if you’re a Tennessee football fan you’re either waiting in angst or have simply lost interest and will occasionally flip the channel back to see how badly the Vols are losing. Most in Tennessee believe Butch is a dead man walking.
Alabama opens up as a 36 point favorite for the matchup against the Vols in Tuscaloosa. How exactly will the game play out?
The chances Jones actually saves his job are minimal. Jalen Hurd‘s step father held nothing back when calling out Butch’s play style on social media. While most fans in Knoxville weren’t happy with Hurd quitting, they’ve come to see his point.
Heck, if you can’t even get the local Food Lion on your side, you’re in trouble.
The Vols have still gone 10 straight quarters without a touchdown. Now they’re on the road against the No. 1 team in the country with two freshman quarterbacks at the helm. Quinten Dormady‘s shoulder injury will more than likely keep him from playing.
So that means it’s Jarrett Guarantano time. And should (heaven forbid) something happen to Guarantano, it’s Will McBride time. This will be both Quarterbacks’ first time playing Alabama. While Guarantano made as good of a debut as he could under Butch Jones’s coaching, Alabama may be ready to do serious damage.
THE FIRST HALF
I genuinely believe Tennessee football can hold strong in the first quarter. They usually do. The defense is going to make some big stops in the beginning. If Bob Shoop can limit the pass play with man coverage and use a “spy” strategy on Jalen Hurts, the Vols may be in good shape to make some decent plays early on.
Alas…that’s as good as it’s going to get. The Bama O-line will create blocks big enough to allow a huge touchdown run down the side by Damien Harris. This will come on either Bama’s second or third possession.
7-0 Alabama
Tennessee football’s offense is going to struggle. It’s highly likely the Vols will go 14 quarters without a touchdown by the end of the game. But if on their third or fourth possession, Guarantano can drive the Vols far enough down the field to put up three, it’ll already be better than most fans thought.
They might feel a surge of momentum here and there, but there’s no doubt Guarantano is going to get sacked just as many (if not more) times than last week. Alabama’s defensive line is going to run Tennessee’s O-line into the ground.
Once that happens, the Vols are going to lose steam as they always do. Bama is going to make a few decent runs to put themselves in Tennessee territory, perhaps the 40, 45 yard line. Calvin Ridley is going to burn UT’s secondary and Jalen Hurts will find him with a long pass down the side for a Bama touchdown.
14-0 Alabama
This is where Guarantano comes in to make a difference. In any case, he knows this crowd is going to be loud in Tuscaloosa. He knows they will be rooting for him to fail (which he’s mentioned before how much he hates losing). The Vols will try a read option quarterback keeper and Guarantano will get stuffed in the backfield. The next play they’ll hand it off to John Kelly.
John Kelly is going to make a decent run, at least decent enough to give the Vols life before they feel defeated. A short slant pass to Brandon Johnson will give the Vols another first down, followed by a couple more run plays to put the Vols in field goal range. Brent Cimaglia will give the Vols their first points of the game.
14-3 Alabama
Now is where the Tennessee football starts to lose it. They’ll kick the ball off and it’ll be as if they never had a chance. Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough will both gain incredible yardage on this drive, gnawing into UT’s run defense.
The Vols will look helpless and redzone defense will be terrible. Bama will reach the 19 yard line in UT territory without a single pass play. Jalen Hurts will then scramble on a quarterback draw to give the Crimson Tide a bigger lead.
21-3 Alabama
It’s all Tide from here on out. Tennessee football will be held to so many three and out’s fans will lose count. Trevor Daniel‘s leg is going to be exhausted from punting so much. Hopefully not so exhausted he punts into the defensive line again.
Alabama will run a punt return back for a touchdown and take it into the half with a major gap.
28-3 Alabama
THE SECOND HALF
Tennessee will come back out and get possession. Ty Chandler will get an amazing run back out to the 35 yard line. It will, however, be for nothing. Guarantano will throw an interception on a busted screen pass to John Kelly which will be run back for a touchdown, pick 6.
35-3 Alabama
Tennessee gets the ball back. Guarantano comes back out a bit shaken and hesitant to throw. They’ll give it to John Kelly who will be met by Da’Shawn Hand to make the stop for a loss, twice in a row.
While the Vols try a play action pass, no one will be open and Guarantano will run out of the pocket for a first down. Alabama will send all their players on a man blitz to psych out Guarantano, resulting in a sack and fumble recovery by Alabama.
If it wasn’t enough already, the Alabama offense will cut chunks of yardage and ultimately decimate Tennessee’s defense. Additionally, Tennessee will find their time of possession being cut significantly short.
The Crimson Tide will find a goal line drive resulting in a touchdown run by Bo Scarbrough.
42-3 Alabama
I could go through the rest of the game, but you ultimately get the point. Tennessee football is not going to play well today. On paper, this team is at it’s lowest point in recent history. There’s talent all over the field, but no coaching to support it.
Next: 4 historical games show Vols could upset Alabama
All in all, they won’t get it done. To put it simply, the Vols are going to be embarrassed. Anyone who watches football could tell you that. Once this happens, you can guarantee Butch Jones will be clearing his desk and saying his goodbye’s on Rocky Top.
While I would enjoy the upset, statistically it can’t happen. I will have to see it to believe it.