Line opens with Alabama -8.5

[9876543vol]

Man, this season and to some extent last year seems like 2012 all over again except we score more than the opposing teams.

Is our D that bad or is college football that prolific on offense now?

I wish you would stop your subtle stabbing of coach Heupel.

 

[VolCalls]

Actually I'd rather go into this game with the players knowing they have to play better and not like 2022 when we were throttling everyone ranked #1 and IMO went into UGA game at Athens overconfident. It will be a tough task to win at Tuscaloosa for a number of reasons, night game etc.. but we have the players if they put it together and knowing that Bama got beat by FSU who have not been dominant, helps to know Bama can have an off game. Got to keep penalties down and turnovers. I thought watching Mizzou vs Bama, Mizzou had Bama looking at 3rd and 27 on 1st drive after a TFL and #9 stood over bama player yapping & got a penalty. Instead of putting Bama on their heels and dictating the start of the game after you're already up 7 to 0, gave Bama a 1st down they settled in and drove for a TD. I thought that was a big difference in setting the tone of that game. We got to stay away from these kind of stupid penalties.

Bama’s “off-game” vs FSU was with an unknown QB (Simpson) making his first career start and the Tide taking the field vs a team that went 2-10 last year. The Bama team we see on Saturday will be locked-in for a battle with their arch rival with major SEC and national implications, being led by a QB who is now a Heisman candidate. I don’t think the two scenarios are remotely comparable.

 

[LittleVol]

Line aside, I cannot trust the UT defense on the road against a balanced Bama team.

Anything can happen, but Bama is the obvious favorite here.

They scored 2 defensive TDs in Starkville.

I’m not worried about this team on the road.

They make plays when needed.
I don’t see Giibbs, Henry, Smith, out there for the Crimson tide.

 

[Big Orange Captain]

We should be going for 4 in a row on those aholes if not for the refs screwing us in the second half of the 2023 game. Saban paid them well!

 

[508mikey]

Bama can name the score against our D. We'll have to score 45+ and hope they have multiple TO's to have a realistic shot. probably a better night to take the Mrs out for a good dinner.

2022

 

[feathersax]

Bama can name the score against our D. We'll have to score 45+ and hope they have multiple TO's to have a realistic shot. probably a better night to take the Mrs out for a good dinner.

You are a real ray of sunshine....

 

[adam.vol]

Our defense will cost us this game. To win we will have to "Out Score" Bama. The one good thing is that the Bama QB is not mobile and we should be able to get a few sacks.

That’s really saying something. Bama hasn’t exceeded 30 points in SEC play thus far.

 

[KTrain]

Bama’s “off-game” vs FSU was with an unknown QB (Simpson) making his first career start and the Tide taking the field vs a team that went 2-10 last year. The Bama team we see on Saturday will be locked-in for a battle with their arch rival with major SEC and national implications, being led by a QB who is now a Heisman candidate. I don’t think the two scenarios are remotely comparable.

Their in the same season, same players so I think remotely comparable is a stretch. He will face the best QB sacking team he's faced so far. JMO look I don't expect a win but I'm saying there's a lot of variables that could make it happen.

 

[hUTch2002]

Our defense in 2012 was incapable of getting to the quarterback or forcing turnovers. Two things we are doing constantly this year.

6 guys combined for 12 sacks over that entire season.

We have 26 thru the halfway point this year.

Come on JMS, you know better than to let facts cloud your emotions.

 

[Doberman]

Here’s hoping we are a team that plays up, or down, to it’s competition. So far, we’ve looked that way.

 

[OmahaOmaha]

It has not been a bad approach though. We are a missed FB away from being 6-0.

I am not sure this approach works Saturday but we shall see.

It had better work, since UT's D backfield is a missmash of backups. And Alabama's Oline has some obvious vulnerable positions. RT being one RG should be able to exploit. The Vols can't cover, so they had better live in bama's backfield.

 

[JMSqb11]

Come on JMS, you know better than to let facts cloud your emotions.

I’m just shocked at the level of doom people are having. With our defense. The fact people are making comparisons to 2012 is pure clownish.

And the fact that our league leading in sacks and T2 in takeaways is being treated as “the other team made mistakes that allowed us to benefit” is looney tunes.

I’m not saying our defense is a world beater but it’s hardly anything like 2012’s

 

[Derek Reese's jumpshot]

That’s really saying something. Bama hasn’t exceeded 30 points in SEC play thus far.

They haven’t played a defense close to as bad as ours.

 

[Sk8nby]

Rating	Points Above Avg.
Predictive	17.2
Home	15.7
Away	18.2

Key Offensive Stats​

Stat	Value
Yards/Play	7.0
Points/Play	0.618
Rush Play %	53.56%
Pass Play %	46.44%
Completion %	61.64%
3D Conv %	43.33%
RZ Scoring %	91.67%

Key Defensive Stats​

Stat	Value
Opp Yards/Play	5.1
Opp Points/Play	0.374
Opp Completion %	67.39%
Opp 3D Conv %	42.31%
Opp RZ Scoring %	90.48%

These stats tell where there is improvement needed. Pass def. and Red zone scoring. We win because we outscore, which is the object of the game i believe. Got to give our guys credit for overcoming offensive and defensive breakdowns.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

We are definitely a flawed football team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but let’s not pretend Bama is this world beater group. Yes they’ve won 3 tough games in a row, but this isn’t 2008-2021 Bama, they’re not winning games before they get off the bus anymore . We are very capable of going in there and winning . The defense has the ability to get stops and cause turnovers. The biggest problem for the defense is that there hasn’t been any middle ground for them. It’s either cause a turnover or get gashed. There has to be some level of consistency if we go down there and get a W.

 

[JMSqb11]

Rating	Points Above Avg.
Predictive	17.2
Home	15.7
Away	18.2

Key Offensive Stats​

Stat	Value
Yards/Play	7.0
Points/Play	0.618
Rush Play %	53.56%
Pass Play %	46.44%
Completion %	61.64%
3D Conv %	43.33%
RZ Scoring %	91.67%

Key Defensive Stats​

Stat	Value
Opp Yards/Play	5.1
Opp Points/Play	0.374
Opp Completion %	67.39%
Opp 3D Conv %	42.31%
Opp RZ Scoring %	90.48%

These stats tell where there is improvement needed. Pass def. and Red zone scoring. We win because we outscore, which is the object of the game i believe. Got to give our guys credit for overcoming offensive and defensive breakdowns.

You'd think we have a horseshoe up our ass with how well timed takeaways we have on Defense.

As long as the pass rush plays as usual, I think we can get constant pressure on Simpson. The one thing I'm totally prepared for is the back breaking QB keeper rollout. He has done that multiple times per game. Of course that's with Jam Miller behind him.

 

[VolCalls]

Their in the same season, same players so I think remotely comparable is a stretch. He will face the best QB sacking team he's faced so far. JMO look I don't expect a win but I'm saying there's a lot of variables that could make it happen.

Fair. They are remotely comparable, but only because they both happened in 2025. Both Bama and FSU are completely different teams today than they were six weeks ago.

 

[brandonco05]

Hate losing to Bama and their QB from Tennessee but that will probaly occur saturday night. We won’t be smoking the cigars this year

.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

That’s really saying something. Bama hasn’t exceeded 30 points in SEC play thus far.

We haven’t held anyone under 30 in SEC play, so something has to give.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

We are definitely a flawed football team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but let’s not pretend Bama is this world beater group. Yes they’ve won 3 tough games in a row, but this isn’t 2008-2021 Bama, they’re not winning games before they get off the bus anymore . We are very capable of going in there and winning . The defense has the ability to get stops and cause turnovers. The biggest problem for the defense is that there hasn’t been any middle ground for them. It’s either cause a turnover or get gashed. There has to be some level of consistency if we go down there and get a W.

Bama is going to lose a couple more games. Problem is, it’s hard to see us beating them when we are barely scraping by against 2 of the 3 worst teams in the SEC.

 

[Big Orange Captain]

Bama is going to lose a couple more games. Problem is, it’s hard to see us beating them when we are barely scraping by against 2 of the 3 worst teams in the SEC.

Who is beating them?

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Bama is going to lose a couple more games. Problem is, it’s hard to see us beating them when we are barely scraping by against 2 of the 3 worst teams in the SEC.

I know what you’re saying, but I don’t think either team is that bad. Arkansas lost a 1 score game at top 5 Ole Miss, they blew it with a red zone fumble against Memphis State University . The team quit against Notre Dame and Pittman was let go. Miss St beat Arizona St and was only down 1 possession going into the 4th at aTm. They’re not bad teams, just bad brands. We’ve basically done our best to give games away vs both of them. It’s gonna take our best effort Saturday, but the things we to need to do better are correctable. The run D has to get better though.

 

[jeff1vol]

Did you know UT is number 1 in scoring offense and Bama is 30?

We put up 34 on Ark. Cmon. Shouldve been 55 if looking at your stats. But then again, w've never played really well coming off of a bye under CJH. After 5 years of evidence, its pretty clear what we have in a football program under CJH. Its decent. Better than the previous 3 dopes. But nowhere near our ceiling, IMO.

 

[kcvols1]

Alabama QB Ty Simpson. From Martin, Tenn. Damn. Could have possibly been UT's first Heisman winner.

WTF?

 

[McDad]

We put up 34 on Ark. Cmon. Shouldve been 55 if looking at your stats. But then again, w've never played really well coming off of a bye under CJH. After 5 years of evidence, its pretty clear what we have in a football program under CJH. Its decent. Better than the previous 3 dopes. But nowhere near our ceiling, IMO.

The vols aren't competing against your expectations. They are competing against the opponent. I don't know what to say in response to what they "should have" done.