The Alabama Crimson Tide and Tennessee Volunteers will meet for the 109th time in series history in Week 7 of the 2026 college football season when the Third Saturday in October rivalry gets underway Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
As part of the last wave of conference expansion, Tennessee tied Mississippi State as the most common opponent in Alabama football history. With the exception of the 1943 season during World War II, the Tide and Vols have played every year since 1928.
Alabama (5-1 overall, 3-1 SEC) is No. 6 in this week's AP Top 25 and No. 7 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Tennessee (5-1, 2-1) is No. 14. In a unique twist, both teams will wear their home jerseys for Saturday's game, as previously announced in August.
The Crimson Tide are coming
off their first loss of the year, 20-17 to the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 6 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Keelon Russell kept his composure throughout the game but looked out of sorts early on. He finished 16 of 30 for 185 yards with one touchdown. Officiating nightmare or not, Georgia still ran for over 200 yards and converted 7 of its 13 third-down attempts.
Alabama's defense will have to turn in a better performance against a Tennessee team that's pretty adept at running the ball, too. Vols running back DeSean Bishop, in fact, enters Week 7 ranked second in the SEC in rushing yards with 678.
Bishop helped lead Tennessee to a 24-17 win at Arkansas in Week 6. The Volunteers scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, capped by Bishop's 8-yard run with 1:54 remaining, to erase a 14-10 deficit. Tennessee ranks 15th nationally in rushing yards.
George MacIntyre, who made his first start in place of five-star freshman Faizon Brandon, threw for 247 yards and a touchdown but had two interceptions in Tennessee's win over Arkansas. He completed 18 of his 29 passes.
Will Alabama snap a two-game losing streak at Neyland Stadium, or will the Vols pull the upset?
Will Alabama football beat Tennessee? ESPN's prediction
Oddsmakers have Alabama as an 8.5-point favorite over Tennessee, but as always, ESPN Analytics has its own odds for Saturday's games.
ESPN's matchup predictor, which offers a prediction model based on its college football power index and other variables, gives Alabama a 71.2% chance to win. Tennessee has a 28.8% chance.
The Crimson Tide are fifth nationally in ESPN's FPI, up one spot from last week, and are second among SEC teams. Alabama has a 26.6 overall FPI rating (down slightly from 27). Tennessee has a 17.2 FPI rating that is 13th in ESPN's metrics.
Alabama football odds of reaching College Football Playoff after losing to Georgia
In ESPN's FPI entering Week 7, Alabama's chances of reaching the 12-team College Football Playoff are 81.8%, a dip from 88% last week. It has the fifth-best odds among power conference teams (and Notre Dame) of reaching the CFP, and it has the second-best playoff odds among SEC teams behind Georgia.
The Crimson Tide are given an 23.6% chance of winning the SEC championship (down from 28.2% last week), a 20.5% chance of reaching the national championship game (down from 24.8%) on Jan. 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and a 10.2% shot of winning the national title (down from 12.4% a week ago).
Alabama is one spot behind the Miami Hurricanes (27.7) in the FPI and one spot ahead of the Texas Longhorns (25.5).
SEC football teams ranked by ESPN FPI: Alabama rises in spite of loss
With Texas falling late in a 27-24 loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, the Longhorns dropped from No. 2 among SEC teams in ESPN's FPI. Alabama moved up one spot with in the metrics with its close loss to Georgia.
Here is where Alabama and all 16 SEC teams rank in ESPN's FPI:
- T-16. Vanderbilt Commodores (1.3 FPI)
- T-16. Arkansas Razorbacks (1.3 FPI)
- 14. Auburn Tigers (11.4 FPI)
- 13. Kentucky Wildcats (11.7 FPI)
- 12. South Carolina Gamecocks (12.1 FPI)
- 11. Mississippi State Bulldogs (12.2 FPI)
- 10. Florida Gators (12.6 FPI)
- 9. Texas A&M Aggies (13.7 FPI)
- T-7. Missouri Tigers (15.1 FPI)
- T-7. Oklahoma Sooners (15.1)
- 6. Ole Miss Rebels (15.7 FPI)
- 5. Tennessee Volunteers (17.2 FPI)
- 4. LSU Tigers (20.9 FPI)
- 3. Texas Longhorns (25.5 FPI)
- 2. Alabama Crimson Tide (26.6 FPI)
- 1. Georgia Bulldogs (28.7 FPI)
What are ESPN FPI ratings?
ESPN explains:
"The Football Power Index is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete."
Alabama football vs. Tennessee start time, TV information
ESPN reveals TV announcers for Alabama football vs. Tennessee
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) October 13, 2026
📸 Alan Poizner, USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con https://t.co/cJ1MuRQjQi pic.twitter.com/RkI5u6wFrw
Kickoff for Alabama-Tennessee in Week 7 of the 2026 college football season is 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Neyland Stadium. The game can be seen on ABC. Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy will have the call of the game. Katie George will report from the sidelines.
Additionally, the Crimson Tide Sports Network feed of the game featuring Alabama radio voice Chris Stewart and Tyler Watts can be heard on SiriusXM channel 230 and The Varsity App.
Alabama football schedule 2026
All times Central.
- Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina Pirates (W, 48-10)
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky Wildcats (W, 45-17)
- Sept. 19: vs. Florida State Seminoles (W, 50-36)
- Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (W, 49-18)
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State Bulldogs (W, 56-23)
- Oct. 10: vs. Georgia Bulldogs (L, 20-17)
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee Volunteers, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Oct. 24: vs. Texas A&M Aggies, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Nov. 7: at LSU Tigers, TBA
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt Commodores, TBA
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga Mocs, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn Tigers, TBA
Record: 5-1 overall, 3-1 SEC.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: ESPN predicts the winner of Alabama football vs. Tennessee
