It's just about go time for Tennessee football in easily the biggest game of the year left on the schedule. Ranked No. 11 in the country, the Vols are heading to Tuscaloosa this weekend and No. 6 Alabama is waiting for them, just not with open arms.
The Crimson Tide opened the season with a terrible loss on the road against Florida State, but they're undefeated since then. Kalen DeBoer knows he can't afford a second loss if he wants to get to the College Football Playoff this winter.
Alabama gets great injury news that makes things tougher for Tennessee
Tennessee's chances of reaching the CFP will take a huge tumble with a loss in this one too. So, what can we expect once kickoff arrives between the two SEC powerhouses? Per the oddsmakers, Alabama remains a sizable favorite, but the Tennessee locker room doesn't care about that at all.
Alabama is favored by 8.5 points against Tennessee in Week 8
According to the FanDuel sportsbook, Alabama is indeed favored by 8.5 points, which is where things opened to start the week. Alabama was dealing with some injury concerns, but running back Jam Miller is now listed as probable on the injury report - he's fully expected to play.
Things are going to be tough for the Tennessee defense, but there will be no excuses for defensive coordinator Tim Banks in this one. In order for the Vols to have a shot at leaving Alabama with a win, the Vols defense is going to have to do a 180 from what we've seen in recent weeks.
In terms of a prediction, this obviously is not going to be an easy game for Josh Heupel and Co. This is also going to be the most difficult road matchup of the season for Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar. How is he going to handle the hostile crowd? We think he'll overcome the tough environment and throw for 285 yards and two touchdowns. While we do think Tennessee will cover, we also think Bama will win a nailbiter.
Prediction: Alabama 28, Tennessee 24