Tennessee will head outside the conference once again on Saturday, set to host the UAB Blazers for the first time since 2019. The Volunteers are 5-0 all time against UAB with the first meeting coming back in 1998.
Tennessee will be looking to bounce back from heartbreak on Saturday, and an inferior opponent might just be exactly what the doctor ordered. Tim Banks is dealing with several injuries on the defensive side of the ball and badly needs to build out some depth before SEC play really kicks
into high gear. That means getting some reps for younger players both on the defensive line and in the secondary.
UAB, now in year three under Trent Dilfer, is also 2-1 on the season. The Blazers hold wins over Alabama State and Akron, but lost to Navy (38-24) back in week two. Per ESPN’s SP+ rankings, UAB ranks 114th in the country with the 76th ranked offense and the 131st ranked defense.
According to Fanduel Sportsbook, Tennessee is a 39.5 point favorite over the Blazers on Saturday. The total sits at 68.5.
Alabama State threw for well over 300 yards against UAB in week one, putting up 42 points on the Blazers. Joey Aguilar and company should have their way early on, and it may be another day that we see Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre get plenty of action under center. The two reserve quarterbacks split time in the second half during Tennessee’s 72-17 win over ETSU in week two.
Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network on Saturday afternoon.
