The Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide are set to play against each other this week in what appears to be the most important game of the season for both teams, as this is a rivalry game, in which anything can happen, but it is also a contest that is a must-win for both teams.
It is a must-win in the fact that the Vols and the Crimson Tide are both entering this game with a loss on the record, as the Crimson Tide recently suffered a narrow defeat to the Georgia Bulldogs, while the Tennessee Volunteers suffered a narrow defeat against the Texas Longhorns three weekends ago.
Ahead of the contest, Vols on SI was joined by Bama Central insider Theodore Fernandez. Fernandez detailed some key aspects of the game and some key insights when it comes to the Alabama side of things. In the end, he also provided a prediction for the contest. Here is what he had to say.
Theodore Fernandez Joins Vols on SI
"Keelon Russell handled Starkville incredibly two weeks ago, to the tune of 285 yards and three
touchdowns in Alabama’s 56-23 win. He continues to develop so fast for this Alabama team, and
the next step for him would be to apply the lessons learned in last week’s loss to Georgia. I think
Neyland will have an almost neutralizing effect on him, in the sense that he’s a pretty similar
player to what he was against the Bulldogs," Fernandez said.
He would then detail more about the Alabama quarterback, as he has been one of the many stars of the season.
"Russell is a special player. There is no throw that is out of his range, no pocket too collapsed, no
play too broken down for him to salvage it. He hasn’t thrown an interception in 18 quarters, and
that, to me, is the biggest key for him. He has to continue to play smart; he has to know when to
take the checkdown, and he has to keep the ball out of harm’s way. He’s going to make plays in this game that leave viewers with their jaws dropped. Can he continue to do that while avoiding the game-altering mistake?" Fernandez said.
There are some big-time players on the Alabama roster, and they are on both sides of the ball. Of course, the Alabama team is a bit banged up, which means that the typical X-Factors may not be the X-Factors for this game. Fernandez shared his X-Factor on both sides of the ball for this game.
Offensive X-Factor: WR Derek Meadows
"Meadows led Alabama in receiving in its spring “game,” but I’ve been high on him since he got
to campus. The 6-foot-5, 212-pound sophomore reminds me a ton of Hakeem Butler. He’s been a
physical blocker when he’s on the field, which has been less than I expected entering the season.
Meadows has four catches through six games, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he doubles that
number this week with Ryan Coleman-Williams out," Fernandez said.
Defensive X-Factor: DL Kedrick Bingley-Jones
"Bingley-Jones is in his seventh season of college football and spent the last two years at
Mississippi State. He’s big and physical, and has shown some flashes, but they have generally
come as a byproduct of the players next to him. With starter Terrance Green out and DeSean Bishop looming, there is so much pressure on Bingley-Jones to hold his own, and I frankly don’t
know if he’s up to the task," Fernandez said.
One key absence in this game is Ryan Coleman-Williams, who is one of the better players in the entire country. In fact, he is someone who has been linked to being an early NFL Draft Selection come next spring.
This is something that Fernandez touched on, as the Crimson Tide will have to work this game without their best wide receiver.
"Lotzeir Brooks has been a near-perfect WR2, but so much of his production has been dependent
on the coverage that Coleman-Williams draws. Alabama’s receivers are going to have a much
harder time creating separation in this game. There is still so much talent in the room, with the
aforementioned Meadows, freshman Cederian Morgan, and NC State transfer Noah Rogers, who
has been working his way back into the mix after missing the first three weeks with an injury.
This receiving corps has also gotten so much better in its scramble drills over the past three
weeks, and I don’t think Coleman-Williams' absence will have much impact on Russell’s ability
to find guys downfield when plays break down," Fernandez said.
Finally, Bama Central's own Theodore Fernandez shared his prediction for the game. Here is what he has to say.
Final Prediction: Alabama 35, Tennessee 17
"Last year’s game could have looked very different. Zabien Brown’s pick-six was essentially a
14-point game, and, without it, we could have seen that contest go down to the wire. I believe Tennessee needs a moment like that to keep it competitive entering the fourth quarter.
Alabama has not been the most polished team in the country, and Xavier Gilliam and this
defense should be keeping Ryan Grubb up at night right now. But if Russell is polished, the run game competent, and Bishop anything short of superhuman, this is a game Alabama wins convincingly," Fernandez said.
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