On Saturday afternoon, No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) will travel to No. 11 Tennessee (5-1. 2-1 SEC) for Kalen DeBoer’s first experience with the Third Saturday in October.
The winner of this top-15 matchup will be in the driver’s seat to make the playoffs, while the loser will have two losses and no margin of error for the rest of the season.
The Crimson Tide will be seeking revenge for the 59-49 loss they suffered last time they were in Knoxville that snapped a 15-game winning streak against the Volunteers.
Here are a few things to watch for this Saturday as the Crimson Tide travels to Tennessee.
Keep Iamaleava in Check
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava saw success early in the season, but over the past four games, he has been unable to throw for more than 200 yards. The redshirt freshman was highly rated out of high school and has a cannon for an arm. Experience is all that the young quarterback is lacking. The key for Alabama to keep him in check is to pressure him without letting him escape the pocket.
Limit Penalties
Two years ago Alabama lost in Knoxville because of 17 penalties for 130 yards. While penalties have been a problem so far this year, they have not reached that level. If the Crimson Tide want to leave Knoxville with a top-15 victory they must limit the penalties.
Third Down Defense
Alabama’s defense has been solid on first and second downs, but third downs have been a problem in getting off the field. Struggling on third downs against Vanderbilt led to an embarrassing loss. Tennessee has a much more powerful offense that Alabama can not afford to allow them third-down success.
4. Start Fast
Playing in one of the SEC’s more hostile environments, Alabama will need to start fast to take out the buzz from the crowd. In Alabama’s only loss this year they fell behind early and could never catch back up. If the Crimson Tide are fortunate to start off fast, they must continue to keep their foot on the gas.
Contain Sampson
The most important key to Alabama getting a victory on Saturday is stopping Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson. The SEC’s leading rusher has rushed for 699 yards on the year and is the heartbeat of this Volunteer offense. Sampson is responsible for 15 touchdowns this season. In five of his six games, Sampson has eclipsed the century mark in rushing. Keeping him below 100 yards will be key if the Crimson Tide hope to win the game.
Kickoff time is set for 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the ABC.
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