Tennessee vs. Alabama Odds: Back the Vols at Home in Knoxville

Let's get to Neyland Stadium, Tennessee and Alabama in Knoxville, Tennessee. And I am a little perplexed by this number. And sometimes when you are perplexed, it means buyer beware. But I've attempted to figure this thing out. And I think I have, and I think I'm comfortable with it. So what am I getting at here? Alabama is a seven and a half point favorite at Tennessee, and that seems quite heavy to me. How do we get here? A number that Tennessee or a Tennessee team that hosted Texas, who at the time were the number one team in the country, and I think by most power ratings are still seen as better than Alabama, we're laying five and a half. I think, I think the answer is Tennessee, George McIntyre, who didn't win the job, played a close game against the worst team in the conference in Arkansas. They were thirteen and a half point road favorites. And I think McIntyre, who threw multiple interceptions in the game, a Bama team who obviously hung all game with Georgia, could have won the game. I do think they were very unlucky on a pass interference call late in that football game. It could have been the difference between that being a 2017 Georgia win and maybe a 24-20, Bama covers every number, Crimson Tide victory. I think that's how we get here. So if that's the case, awesome, love Tennessee. Love Tennessee. There were some flat eights out there. You can get a couple of pricey eight in the hooks if you want at around minus 120. I played Tennessee on the eight. I was excited about Phason Brandon coming into the year because there's an unknown ceiling with a five-star superstar freshman quarterback. Of course, it's the other side of the door. And for Phason Brandon, unfortunately, it was the other side of the door where he wasn't very good. I think Tennessee have a quarterback upgrade right now with George McIntyre II. I think that is absolutely the case here. So, I think I'm getting a better quarterback than what we got going into the Texas game. A defense that I think is... I don't know if I'm ultimately going to be right about Tennessee making a playoff. I know I was right about their defense being better than people realize coming into the season and a Crimson Tide team who have to now get up and cover at Tennessee where it's hard enough to win off the Georgia game I think this is the Vols here Dave I think we're getting a gift of a number quite frankly yeah the math the spread math that you and I like to talk about doesn't make any sense for this one and I thought the same thing as you I know you and I look at these lines during the week and we wait till late in the week to actually tell each other we're both on the same side in total agreement and I've been an Alabama backer all season. I've had them in many games. I had Georgia last week. Got a little lucky with that non-call at the end. We had Georgia. Like, Alabama's a good football team. You see it as the ranking didn't drop. Tennessee's a good football team as well. And this is not an easy place to go in and play. I've been there. It's a very, very tough atmosphere. The Tide may very well win this game, but you're right. They've got to get back. Your gift for getting back up off the mat of a potential season-changing non-call is to go play Tennessee in Knoxville not as easy thing and you talk about the quarterback upgrade I look at the quarterback situation is they shouldn't even worry about the quarterback situation if they just run the ball all game Tennessee is not only going to cover but they're going to win the game like Alabama's questionable defense on the Vols averaged 228 rushing yards a game, 15th nationally, and 6th in success rate. Georgia rushed for 206 last week against Bama, controlling the ball for 33 and a half minutes, including a 10-play, 84-yard drive that gave the Bulldogs the ultimate lead. If the Volunteers keep the ball on the ground, and oh, by the way, they have a good pass rush as well against an Alabama O-line that showed some weakness against Georgia, they stay in this game. Where does Alabama match up well? Well, simply put, Tennessee can't pass the ball 110th in the nation no matter who their quarterback is and I think Keon Russell can get into Tennessee's secondary still you're getting seven and a half or eight points at home these teams love the home cooking the home teams won the last five meetings including in two years ago when Tennessee upset Alabama right here in Knoxville I like the points as well and I'm going to be sprinkling little little skittles money on the Tennessee money line