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Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Tennessee Volunteers, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
First, kudos to the SEC schedule-makers on this one. Whatever else you think about the patchwork slate of games that emerged from SEC expansion, the Third Saturday in October is being held this year on the Third Saturday in October. That hasn't always been the case in recent years.
That said, it's hard to come up with a scenario in which Tennessee can win this game and try to turn around a rivalry that's become quite Alabama-centric in recent years. Think that Tennessee, scoring 38 points a game, might be able to turn this game into a shootout if it weren't for the Alabama defense? The Tide is scoring almost 41 a week, and the idea of Tennessee's defense stopping the Tide is laughable. Which, of course, rules out the idea of the Volunteers winning a defensive struggle.
The only glimmer of hope for the Vols is that Alabama hasn't been tested in a true road game all year. But even that comes with a caveat -- the Tide had no trouble taking care of the Wolverines in Arlington -- and isn't much to hang your hat on.
Alabama 42, Tennessee 10