(Photo: Bleacher Report)
Campus Clash
(17) Tennessee Volunteers at (11) Alabama Crimson Tide
Tennessee: When I last saw them, they were being upset at the hands of the Florida Gators. They have won every game since then. Last season, they were one of the major stories in college football as they got off to a really strong start and people were considering Hendon Hooker to be a Heisman Candidate. Fast forward to a year later. There’s no Hendon nor Jaylin Hyatt, but the Tennessee Volunteers are still competing and winning football games. It’s always something when the Florida Gators are relevant, but they’ve been struggling the last few years so I’ll come out and say this. The only team who could potentially challenge the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC East is this group right here. I want to talk about their Quarterback, Joe Milton. When I watch him, I see a kid with phenomenal composure in the pocket which is something you don’t see much of at the college level and in the NFL, pocket awareness takes time to develop. If you were having a conversation with me and said he has the strongest arm in the nation, I wouldn’t disagree with you because watching him throw the football is such an effortless approach because he does such with a flick of the wrist. Coming into the season, I remember stating that he needed to improve his accuracy. I say it all the time, you can throw the football all you want and throw the prettiest spiral, but it means nothing if you can’t get the ball to your receivers and place it to where they can get it. I like their offensive approach as a whole. They’ve worn teams down with the ground attack averaging 230 yards per game. It’s the Third Saturday in October and you know what that means!
Alabama: I guess you have to say you’ll bench a player to make him play better and that’s been the exact case with Jalen Milroe since the team decided to bench him for that game against South Florida. On the season, Jalen is completing a little over 64 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns thrown and four interceptions. Everything I’ve said about them since the Texas game still stands in my eyes. Let’s just admit that this is a much different Crimson Tide team that we’ve seen in years past and they still don’t scare me. Years ago, I was worried for any opponent that had to play them. Now, it’s just a regular game as far as I’m concerned. Yes, they’ve played much better since the loss to the Texas Longhorns in week two and every win moving forward for them is a big one because the second they drop another game, they will be eliminated from contention for the College Football Playoff and I don’t care what the committee thinks of them, if no team who’s lost two games in the past has never made it, why should it start now? The same rule should apply to them as well because nobody is invincible. They didn’t look the greatest against the Arkansas Razorbacks this past weekend. If I can still be honest, they didn’t look the greatest against the Texas A&M Aggies and these are opponents they’ve dominated in the past. They were lucky to escape both games. I also want to say this to Coach Saban. Can you stop letting Jalen run the football because he’s been finishing games with negative yards as a rusher. Let him move the pocket, make throws on the run and the game will come to him. Just continue to feed Jase McClellan the football out of the backfield. They’re back home on Saturday for a showdown with a rival. There’s truly nothing like the SEC and I know this is a game they’ve had circled on their calendars since the schedules were released.
Tennessee X-Factor: Jaylen Wright– He flew under the radar last year with Hooker and Hyatt. Jaylen was just as important to the offense as those two were. Jaylen is a powerful runner who remains on his feet even when you attempt to throw yourself at him to bring him down. He’s shifty enough to break away from tackles and can make people miss in the open field. Jaylen is lethal when he gets his shoulder pads low.
Alabama X-Factor: Chris Braswell– If you don’t earn Nick’s trust, you won’t see much of the field, but that doesn’t have to be applied to Chris. He’s been a force for another stingy Alabama defense. I love his pursuit of the Quarterback. Chris has a nice release off the snap of the football and he can get home with just his speed as he’s not one to use pass rushing moves to work his way to the opposing pocket.
Three Things I’m Watching
1. Milton vs Alabama D- Joe Milton will become the second best Quarterback the Tide have faced this year with Quinn Ewers being the first for Texas. The one thing Alabama has always had trouble against is limiting mobile Quarterbacks and Joe can move. Whether it’s with a moving pocket or he’s running to keep the play alive, he can put pressure on a defense to defend him in multiple ways. Pay attention to this.
2. Milroe’s Focus- He’s grown up tremendously since the beginning of the year. Jalen has done a tremendous job of remaining focused and not letting previous plays affect him. Jalen worries about the next play and executes consistently. He’s also become a quiet leader for this team and they’ve followed him. I said it on College Football Showdown that Jalen gives this football team the best shot to win.
3. Clean Football– Nick said it himself that his team can struggle to maintain intensity. In situations such as that, all you can do is hope to build confidence and the positive things. When this team is locked in and focused, nobody is beating them because they simply impose their will on their opponent and pretty much dominate from the first whistle until the last whistle.
Final Thoughts: This was one of my favorite games to preview last season. It was an instant classic in Knoxville behind a huge day from Jaylin Hyatt who tore apart the Crimson Tide’s secondary to the tune of six receptions and 207 yards with five touchdowns. Tennessee would go on to win that game in a shootout, 52-49. More than a year later, here we are again for the annual Third Saturday in October and this time it’s in Tuscaloosa. Alabama must stop the run and on offense, not turn the ball over to give the Volunteers easy opportunities. Limiting Tennessee’s explosive plays will also be key because that’s what did Alabama in last year in Knoxville. I’m anxious to see how Bama starts out because they’ve been rusty at times in the beginning of games. Also, keeping Milton in the pocket will be another key. I expect Tennessee to attack the Alabama secondary once again. It’s still their glaring weakness. Also, watch Tennessee’s Defensive Line against Milroe and look how they’ll attempt to contain him. I like Alabama to get their revenge from last season this year.
Prediction: Alabama 34, Tennessee 24
