Alabama vs Tennessee Odds & Picks Week 8: Who Do We Trust Now?

A pair of SEC teams that once appeared strong candidates to make the College Football Playoff, Alabama and Tennessee have each looked downright pedestrian—or worse—their last two times out. So what on earth to expect Saturday, when a pair of staggering old rivals meet in Neyland Stadium, where the Crimson Tide is a 3-point road favorite?

After the past few weeks, who knows? The Tide famously lost outright at 23-point underdog Vanderbilt, and then barely hung on to beat 21-point underdog South Carolina at home. The Volunteers looked punchless in a loss at 13.5-point underdog Arkansas, and then needed overtime to squeeze past 15.5-point underdog Florida on their home field. Thank goodness there’s plenty of Tennessee whiskey to go around.

Alabama vs Tennessee Odds

Matchup Page: Alabama vs Tennessee, 3:30 pm ET

Odds as of October 15

Alabama vs Tennessee Picks – Week 8

Alabama and Tennessee both went from among the more reliable covers in the SEC to teams that are very difficult to trust. The Crimson Tide easily covered as a 14.5-point favorite in a road game at Wisconsin rallied to beat Georgia as a 2-point home underdog—and then fell off the map against two mediocre opponents. The Vols started 3-0 ATS against FBS opponents, including a cover at Oklahoma, before staggering against the Razorbacks and Gators.

What to make of all that this week? Vandy might be better than we realized, given how the Commodores and swaggering transfer quarterback Diego Pavia followed up their shocker by winning at Kentucky last weekend. South Carolina gave LSU fits before doing the same to the Crimson Tide. And Alabama will still have the best player on the field Saturday in quarterback Jalen Milroe, who’s recorded rushing and passing TDs in every game this season, in all but one instance doing enough to offset the Tide’s shortcomings on defense.

That’s splitting hairs, of course. The past two weeks have exposed the limits of Tennessee’s run-and-defend game plan, especially when quarterback Nico Iamaleava isn’t able to keep defenses honest by making key throws when he needs to. The Vols haven’t passed for more than 200 yards since early September, which makes you wonder if they’re capable of exploiting the Alabama secondary the same way Vanderbilt did. 

Alabama vs Tennessee Week 8 Pick: Alabama -3 (-105)

Once the most prolific offense in the nation, Tennessee hasn’t scored more than 25 points in a game in nearly a month, and as a result, has gone UNDER in three straight. Alabama, meanwhile, has gone OVER in four straight largely due to a defense that’s allowed 34, 35 and 25 points its last three times out. Tide coach Kalen DeBoer doesn’t play grinders, so expect Alabama to force the Vols out of their run-game comfort zone.

Alabama vs Tennessee Week 8 Pick: OVER 56 (-110)

*picks made as of Tuesday, October 14 at 7:00 pm ET

Alabama vs Tennessee News

The Crimson Tide was without wide receivers Kendrick Law and Kobe Prentice against South Carolina. Law was a game-time decision against the Gamecocks with a leg injury but didn’t play, according to the website Bama Hammer, which posits that he could be back Saturday at Tennessee. Prentice, who suffered a head injury against Vanderbilt, could be out longer. On the Tennessee side, the Vols lost starting linebacker Keenan Pili to a season-ending knee injury in the Florida game, coach John Heupel announced Monday. 

Alabama vs Tennessee Prop Bet: Ryan Williams 75+ Receiving Yards (+160)

The star freshman has made his presence felt with a number of spectacular catches so far for Alabama. But he’s also emerging as a reliable regular target for Milroe, going for 78 or more receiving yards in three of his last four games. Tennessee’s defense is much better against the run than the pass, so expect Williams to be a factor once again. 

Alabama vs Tennessee Betting Trends