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Tennessee football: SEC, top 25 picks and bets for Week 2 of 2021

By Caleb Calhoun

Pregame flyover before the NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Bowling Green Falcons held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021.Kns Ut Football Bowling Green Bp
Pregame flyover before the NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Bowling Green Falcons held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021.Kns Ut Football Bowling Green Bp /
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May 21, 2020; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; A general view at the main entrance of Bryant-Denny Stadium announcing the remodel underway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
May 21, 2020; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; A general view at the main entrance of Bryant-Denny Stadium announcing the remodel underway. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

Mercer Bears at No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (SECN)

Saturday, Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. ET; Bryant-Denny Stadium; Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Both Alabama teams get to face FCS teams this week. The Crimson Tide look no different than they did last year, as they opened the season with a dominating 44-13 win over the Miami Hurricanes, a top 25 ACC team that had hoped to take a second leap under Manny Diaz.

Right now, Nick Saban’s team remains the best team in college football. Sure, the Georgia Bulldogs may have had a better win last week, but Alabama’s dominance proved that it still has more talent. Saban is already worried about his team being infected with “rat poison” again because of all the hype it’s getting.

The good news for the Tide is that infection comes as they face an FCS team that could whip them back into shape by giving them a scare but has no chance in beating them. Mercer is a program on the rise under second-year head coach Drew Concic. They just won their opener 69-0 and after an 0-4 start last year finished 5-6.

Prediction

Okay, so Mercer will whip them into shape by making things interesting for about five minutes, the way Tennessee football often does against Alabama. However, the Tide will easily cruise to victory here and spend the second half thinking about the Florida Gators.

Alabama: 65 Mercer: 3

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