CBS Sports’ college football analysts are leaning toward Alabama in the Third Saturday in October rivalry game in Knoxville on Saturday afternoon.
Yes, No. 11 Tennessee will be at home against the 7th-ranked Crimson Tide, and 2 years ago the Volunteers took down Alabama at Neyland Stadium in one of the most memorable SEC games in recent history. But only former UCLA offensive lineman Randy Cross believes that Josh Heupel’s team has the ability to outlast Alabama for the 2nd time in 3 years.
“I’m going to go on the defensive side. Tennessee’s defense is one of only two teams holding teams under 250 yards per game. The other one is undefeated in the University of Texas. Give me the Volunteers,” said Cross.
“I’m gonna go on the defensive side… Tennessee’s defense is one of only two teams holding teams under 250YPG.”
️ @randycrossFB is the only one on the ICF crew taking @Vol_Football to take down the Crimson Tide pic.twitter.com/9wJv3cprLW
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) October 15, 2024
But that’s where the Tennessee love ends from the CBS Sports crew.
“I am going to go with (quarterback) Jalen Milroe and the Alabama offense to be just a little bit better than a very good Tennessee defense,” said former Washington and Colorado head coach Rick Neuheisel, who did point out that he needed to see Alabama’s defense improve greatly after shaky efforts in the past 3 games against Georgia, Vanderbilt and South Carolina.
Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Aaron Taylor also believes Alabama will prevail because it has an advantage at quarterback with Milroe.
Brian Jones, who played linebacker at Texas, also is going with the Crimson Tide in a rivalry that Alabama leads 60-39-7 all-time.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
