Tennessee at No. 1 Alabama: Four Things to Watch Out For

Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt returns to his old stomping grounds, but will the former Alabama defensive coordinator have enough under the hood to take down the Crimson Tide?

Looking for its first win over Alabama in 12 years, Tennessee will have its hands full as it heads to Tuscaloosa for a showdown with the top-ranked Crimson Tide on Saturday. 

Heading in as 34.5-point underdogs, the Vols have their work cut out for them if they're going to pull off a monumental upset.

Here are five things to watch out for as Tennessee gets set to battle with top-ranked Alabama:

1. Can the Vols limit Alabama's receivers? 

Nick Saban's offense currently boast four receivers with 1,000 or more career receiving yards. Tennessee has just two. 

That's quite a disparity considering the Vols took a hit in their secondary last weekend with the loss of cornerback Trevon Flowers to a knee injury. Regardless, with junior quarterback Tua Tagavailoa leading the way, the Crimson Tide aren't going to an easy stop.

Alabama ranks third in the nation in passing yards per game at 366, but not all of that success falls on the shoulders of the quarterback.

If Tennessee wants to keep this one close, keying in on the secondary and limiting the Tagavailoa's weapons on the outside should be at the top of its list.

2. Will UT's defense bring the energy?

If there's one thing obvious about Jeremy Pruitt's Tennessee teams thus far, it's that when push comes to shove, his defenses have typically been ready to punch back.

Oct 12, 2019; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Bryce Thompson (20) celebrates in the second quarter in a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports

We've seen it now against Mississippi State on Saturday and, albeit but for one play, against BYU in week two. The problem is, neither of those offenses compare to Alabama's. Not even close.

It's one thing to slow down the SEC's leading rusher at home. It's another to try and stifle perhaps the most lethal all-around offensive attack in the nation. 

This is a David vs. Goliath-type matchup, and if UT wants any chance of avoiding the oddsmakers' hefty prediction of its fate, it must start on the defensive side of the ball.

3. If Maurer starts, will he be 100 percent?

Freshman quarterback Brian Maurer looked to be slinging the ball just fine in practice on Wednesday, but Pruitt didn't sound quite as confident as he did on Monday regarding his status.

While he remains a game time decision for Saturday, it seems as if it's safe to say that Maurer will resume his duties under center. The major question that remains is will be up-to-speed?

After a red-hot start against Georgia two weeks ago, the Ocala, Florida native was brought back down to Earth a bit against Mississippi State on Saturday, throwing two ill-advised passes into the end zone that the defense easily picked off.

Even if Maurer is unable to go and UT is forced to go with Jarrett Guarantano, Tennessee will need much more from the quarterback position going forward to replicate its success against the Bulldogs.

4. Can Tennessee establish the run?

The Vols rushed for 190 yards a week ago and Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan look as if they're building more and more chemistry each week. 

Concerns begin to settle in once one realizes that Tennessee's rushing average has consistently fallen each week since it produced over 200 yards on the ground against BYU.

Oct 12, 2019; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Tim Jordan (9) runs the ball against Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Erroll Thompson (40) during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Quite frankly, UT has the talent on the outside to have an elite passing game, it just does not have the talent under center yet. Due to that reality, the Vols must get the running game going early if they are to have a chance.

Being able to consistently run the ball not only keeps Alabama's offense on the sideline, it opens up opportunities in the passing game as well. Look for Jim Chaney to call a bunch of runs early, but only time will be the deciding factor in whether that mindset will carry on throughout the game.