Urban Meyer predicts outcome of Alabama-Tennessee game, discusses anticipation among Vols fans

Urban Meyer will be keeping a close eye on the Alabama vs. Tennessee game on Saturday, as the No. 3 Crimson Tide and the No. 6 Volunteers face off at Neyland Stadium.

Both teams enter the game undefeated. The Vols, despite their impressive start, have lost 15 straight to the Crimson Tide. That said, Meyer feels that the potential absence of Bryce Young could finally tip things in Tennessee’s favor.

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“If Bryce Young doesn’t play, I think this might be the week,” the former Florida and Ohio State head coach said, according to On3. “I think Tennessee’s really good. I think Alabama’s shown some chinks in the armor, which means that’s like blood in the water to a shark. That team is going to be, and that crowd, there’s 15 years of build-up to this game for Vol Nation and really, for Tennessee alumni, the former players and the current players.”

Meyer, who was 6-0 against Tennessee as Gators head coach, understands the atmosphere Saturday’s game will carry at Rocky Top, considering it’s been a while since Tennessee has played in a game this significant.

“There’ll be 107,000 there, there’ll be another 50-100,000 there outside that stadium. I was there when I was the coach in Florida in ’05…they were top-five in the country and it’s been a steady decline,” he said, recalling the then-No. 6 Gators’ 16-7 win over Phillip Fulmer’s No. 5 Vols that year. “So that Vol Nation, they’re going to be ready.”