Alabama Crimson Tide at Tennessee Volunteers Odds & Game Pick (2020)
As the Big Ten and PAC 12 will look to get their mid-pandemic footing, the SEC has been humming along for four weeks now. Yes, there have been some hiccups, but it’s mostly been business as usual. The same can be said for their undisputed leader: the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Another undefeated start for Nick Saban and company will be put to the test Saturday, as the team heads to Knoxville to face a Volunteers program in desperate search of a statement win to get them back to relevancy.
Will they succeed? Or at least fail, but fail within three touchdowns?
Let’s take a closer look.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Details
- Opening Lines: Tennessee +19.5; OU 62
- Current Line: Tennessee +21
- O/U: 65.5
- Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
- Start Time: 3:30 pm ET
- Television: CBS
- Last Meeting: October 19, 2019 – Tennessee 13, Alabama 35
Overview
When it comes to Alabama, it seems as if the rich just keep getting richer. At the quarterback position, a significant drop-off was expected after Tua Tagovailoa’s departure, as junior Mac Jones would take over. Jones had limited experience coming into a season with a shortened offseason.
At 379.5 yards per game, 12 touchdowns, and a 220.1 rating with just 28.8 attempts per game, we haven’t seen any drop-off. Along with Jones, Alabama has the added luxury of one of the nation’s top rushers in senior Najee Harris. Through four games, Harris has 11 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 124.75 yards per game.
The Volunteers started off strong out of the gate: they won (and covered) against South Carolina and Missouri. But they followed those victories with bad losses against Kentucky and Georgia by a combined 40 points.
In what’s now his fourth year as quarterback for Tennessee, senior Jarrett Guarantano has been the definition of mediocre. Through four games this season, Guarantano has just four touchdowns and three interceptions, throwing for just 188 yards per game and an average rating of 126.45. In their most recent loss, a 7-34 defeat at home to Kentucky, Guarantano threw two early pix sixes.
- Alabama is 6-2 ATS in their last eight games in October
- The Under is 5-0 in Tennessee’s last five home games
Bottom Line
Since Saban took the helm at Alabama, he has gone 13-0 against the Volunteers. Impressively, 11 of those wins came by double digits. This year is shaping up to be no different.
Averaging 48.5 points per game, the Crimson Tide have scored no fewer than 40 points in any game, and they’ve played more formidable opponents than the Volunteers. But in each of those games, this usually stout Crimson Tide defense has yet to have a strong performance.
I think that you’ll see an angry Crimson Tide defensive unit make a statement in this one. Look for them to get to Guarantano early and often, forcing him into the mistakes he is already prone to making.
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.