Alabama Football: Post-Spring game-by-game predictions for 2019

The Third Saturday in October used to be one of college football’s fiercest rivalries, but Nick Saban has rendered it a footnote. Saban is 12-0 against the Volunteers, and only two of the 12 meetings have been decided by less than two touchdowns.

This is likely to be met with mockery, but I expect Tennessee to be among the most improved teams in the country next season. Jeremy Pruitt’s first team in Knoxville finished 5-7, and many got jokes off about the Vols being shut out of the 2019 NFL Draft. Lost in that, however, is that Tennessee just didn’t have that many players who were draft eligible.

No team in the power-five returns more production from last season than Tennessee, and their returning talent ranks 2nd in the entire country to Western Michigan. Tennessee’s offense has a chance to be really good under new offensive coordinator Jim Chaney. He has a lot of talent to work with, led by rising junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, running back Ty Chandler, and a trio of quality receivers in Marquez Calloway, Josh Palmer, and Jauan Jennings. The Vols should also be improved on the offensive line, particularly if Trey Smith is able to play next season.

If Pruitt can get the defense to take a step forward after finishing 49th in the nation last year, then Tennessee could be a sneaky sleeper pick in the SEC East. It isn’t likely to overtake Georgia, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see them fight for second place with Florida.

Even still, improved or not, it’s unlikely that Tennessee’s 12-game losing streak to Alabama ends in 2019 with the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Pruitt will probably have to wait at least one more season before potentially taking out his alma mater and former boss.

Pick: Alabama 45, Tennessee 21

Record: 7-0 (4-0)