This Saturday is without question one of the best Saturdays of the 2026 college football season with a whopping four matchups between AP Top-15 teams. We haven't seen that since Week 10 in 2018. I really couldn't have gone wrong with Ohio State vs. Indiana, Missouri vs. Ole Miss or especially Notre Dame vs. BYU (that's 1980s gold for me), but I'll focus on No. 6 Alabama at No. 14 Tennessee simply as one historic streak might end in Knoxville. Bet on college football at DraftKings, where new users get $200 in bonuses and three free months of NBA when they spend $5+:
It's a 3:30 ET kick on ABC and here's the forecast via weather.com: Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High 56F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Sounds like fall football weather to me. About 69% of the tickets and 77% of the money are on Bama against the spread with a decent lean on Over 50.5.
You can try college football betting on the best sports betting apps, but first you should check out the SportsLine Projection Model for picks on games from both the simulations and our experts. We have a strong play here for those who want to get into parlay betting for Alabama vs. Tennessee. Claim the best Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS55, trade $25, and receive $55 in trading bonus credits here:
Alabama vs. Tennessee same-game parlay
- Volunteers alt +11.5
- Crimson Tide alt team total Over 22.5
DraftKings price: +170 (subject to change)
How dominant has Alabama been since the program was resurrected under Nick Saban? It has gone 220 consecutive regular-season games without back-to-back losses, with that last happening in the final two games of Saban's debut 2007 campaign. That streak trails only Oklahoma's run of 245 in a row from 1999-2020.
The Tide have won seven straight road games, tied with Indiana for the nation's longest active FBS streak, and have won five straight away against ranked teams (4-0-1 ATS). They figure to be a bit beaten up physically, however, after going toe-to-toe with mega-physical Georgia last week with the Dawgs prevailing 20-17. It was UGA's first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007 and first win in an undefeated matchup against Alabama since 1942. It was the Tide's third straight loss to an AP Top-5 opponent.
The Heisman Trophy hopes of quarterback Keelon Russell didn't end but his odds lengthened to +1700 after he went just 16 of 30 for 185 yards with a TD and 45 rushing yards. Georgia's defense can make even the best QBs look average, but Russell needs a statement game pronto to get back into legitimate Heisman contention. He had totaled at least four touchdowns in each of his previously three games, so something like that would help Saturday.
However, Russell is expected to be without one of his top receivers in former mega-recruit Ryan Coleman-Williams after he suffered multiple injuries vs. Georgia. He had three catches for 39 yards before leaving in the fourth against the Bulldogs. He's had a nice bounce-back season with 23 receptions for 415 yards and four touchdowns.
The home team has won the past five in the series, and the Tide rolled 37-20 last year in Tuscaloosa when both teams had different QBs. Coleman-Williams led Alabama with five catches for 87 yards.
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What's the quarterback situation at Tennessee? Touted true freshman Faizon Brandon started the first five games. He injured his shoulder a couple of weeks ago in the loss to Texas and tried to play through the issue against Auburn on Oct. 3 but didn't last long.
Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre started this past Saturday in the 24-17 win over Arkansas. Faizon was practicing this week, but coach Josh Heupel will stick with MacIntyre even though he had three turnovers against the Hogs. I have to say that surprises me. Tennnessee has been leaning a lot on tailback DeSean Bishop the past two weeks as he has totaled 358 rushing yards after posting a combined 320 in the first four games. Alabama has been good against the run, allowing 99.8 yards per game. And that defense has nine interceptions, including four pick-sixes. I feel fairly confident in saying that unit will get an INT Saturday.
Tennessee eyes its first three-game home winning streak in the series since 1996-00 but has a seven-game losing streak in AP-ranked matchups (2-5 ATS) and is 2-22 in its past 24 home games against AP Top-10 teams. The good news is that both wins were against the Tide in the past two in Knoxville â that 2024 victory was UT's last in an AP-ranked matchup.
Saturday's loser will have very little wiggle room for the 12-team College Football Playoff with a second overall and league loss. Right now, the Tide are -650 to get there with No at +450. Their only ranked foe left in the regular season is a trip to No. 22 LSU. The SportsLine Projection Model gives Bama a 71.3% shot to make the playoff that drops all the way to 52.9% with a loss.
The Vols might be in good shape for an at-large bid or even a spot in the SEC title game with an upset as their remaining schedule features only two ranked schools in No. 15 Kentucky and LSU -- and both visit Knoxville. Tennessee is +330 to make the playoff with No at -440. The model currently gives the Vols a 33.6% chance, which rises to 51.6% with a win but slips to 16.8% with a loss. The current Over/Under for total SEC teams in the playoff is 4.5.
I originally had 10.5 but upped to 11.5 with the Tennessee QB news. Again, surprising but also maybe gamesmanship and I bet we see Brandon in some form. The model has Bama winning 29-27. Hard to win away at a ranked conference foe by more than 11, that's for sure. Have to account for possible two-point silliness. Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter.
