This Third Saturday in October always pits the Crimson Tide and the Vols. It has been a lopsided matchup for the last decade and a half with the Tide on a 15 game winning streak.

But the 2022 version is setting up differently. Tennessee is one of if not the best offenses in the country, and the Crimson Tide is unclear on whether starting quarterback Bryce Young will play. Young suffered a sprained right shoulder in the Arkansas victory 2 weeks ago. I expect Young to play. Can he play as effectively as he normally does, if he indeed plays, is the big question mark. If Jalen Milroe is the quarterback, Bill O’Brien will have to get real creative in the passing game, and in the running game with Milroe. Milroe and running back Jaymir Gibbs will have to step up. The Alabama defense will be tested severely by Hendon Hooker and the high flying Vols offense. Will dig into that more, below.

Auburn travels to Oxford to take on Lane and the Rebels. That looks tough for a, to say the least, struggling program. It’s unknown how long Bryan Harsin can last at Auburn if these dismal performances continue. Not looking too good for the second year coach. It could be curtains shortly, but Harsin will get the last hurrah if it’s soon because he has a $15 million buyout if Auburn were to fire him before December 31st of this year.

Mississippi State heads to Kentucky, LSU is @ Florida and there are more nice matchups with one key out of conference game for Arkansas and some extremely compelling national contests.

Here’s a look at the action along with predictions.

Record

SU, Last Week, 15-3, Overall, 85-19, 82%

ATS, 10-6, 58-44, 57%

No.3 Alabama (6-0, 3-0) @ No.6 Tennessee (5-0, 2-0)

Neyland Stadium, Knoxville

2:30 PM CT

CBS

Brad, Gary, Jenny

Crimson Tide by 7

This is a difficult one for Alabama. Hendon Hooker is an all world quarterback. The second year player at UT, he transferred from Virginia Tech after 3 years there, has thrown for 41 touchdowns against 3 ints in his two years for the Vols. He has completed 98 of 140 passes this season, 70%, for 1.432 yards, 10 Tds against 0 ints. He has also rushed for 231 yards and 3 TDs. The great Will Anderson Jr., Dallas Turner and the Crimson Tide defense will be sternly tested by this prolific quarterback and his offense. The Tide is strong on defense, though the cornerbacks can struggle. Pass rush and containing Hooker both in the passing and the running game will be critical. The Vols also have two stellar running backs also in Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright. The receivers are exceptional led by the great Cedric Tillman, who has been out the past 3 games, but has a good chance of playing. On the other side, Bryce Young’s availability is the $64,000 question. A lot more than that considering the NIL deals he has. I see Young playing. Can he be as effective as usual? He’s a strong minded young guy, so maybe he can. Young has completed 90 of 134 passes this season, 67%, for 1,202 yards, 14 TDs against 3 Ints. He’s got the wheels to go along with the arm, but Saban and O’Brien don’t want him running. And he’s got help running the football with the great Jahmyr Gibbs. Wide receivers are still developing and the offensive line will be tested by a strong Vols front. It struggled last week against Texas A&M. If Young can’t make it, Jalen Milroe will have to play above and beyond what he has for Alabama so far in order for them to have a shot. I like Young to play, do enough, and for the Crimson Tide defense to, as much as they can, slow down Hooker and company. Like the Tide to escape with a victory over a really strong team from Knoxvegas.

Alabama 34, Tennessee 31

Auburn (3-3, 1-2) @ No.9 Ole Miss (6-0, 2-0)

Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford

11 AM CT

ESPN

Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Kris Budden

Rebels by 15

It seems like the Tigers haven’t won a game in forever. Poor guys. They need to retool their football program with a new coach, so we’ll see if things go South this Saturday, if they go ahead and make a change during the off week. It would be another expensive change.

Ole Miss 38, Auburn 14

Vanderbilt (3-3, 0-2) @ No.1 Georgia (6-0, 3-0)

Sanford Stadium, Athens

2:30 PM CT

SEC Network

Taylor, Matt, Alyssa

Dawgs by 38

Pretty much a blowout, but Georgia hasn’t been all that this season.

Georgia 42, Vanderbilt 14

Other SEC and National Tilts

No.16 Mississippi State 31, No.22 Kentucky 26

Kroger Field, Lexington

6:30 PM CT

SEC Nework

Tom, JRodg, Cole

MS. State by 4

Will Rogers leads the country in passing yards with 2,110 and passing TDs with 22. Wildcats QB Will Levis is highly questionable to play. Mike Leach is having a really nice season in Starkville. Like him and his team on the road to move to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC. Mark Stoops is hamstrung without Levis, but he’s resilient. He still could salvage his team’s season after this game. The Wildcats are presently 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the SEC after losses to Ole Miss on the road and a tough one to South Carolina last Saturday. South Carolina was impressive.

Florida 30, LSU 24

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville

6 PM CT

ESPN

Tess, Gregory, Katie

Gators by 2 1/2

Like the Gators in the Swamp. Brian Kelly is finding the SEC to be tough sledding.

Arkansas 28, BYU 24

LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT

2:30 PM CT

ESPN

Dave, Dusty, Lugues

Even

KJ Jefferson is back to quarterback the Hogs and that’s the difference maker in a much needed victory for Sam Pittman and his team. Pretty awesome midseason out of conference matchup.

Off this week, A&M. @ South Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 22nd.

South Carolina

Mizzou. vs. Tennessee, Saturday, Oct. 22nd.

No.5 Michigan 21, No. 10 Penn State 17

Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor

11 AM CT

FOX

Gus, Joel, JT

Wolverines by 7

I like this to be a Big Ten slugfest with the Big House’s 107,000 faithful pushing the Wolverines over the top and keeping them in the playoff conversation with Penn State not out of it.

No.20 Utah 28, No. 7 USC 24

Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake

7 PM CT

FOX

Jason Benetti, Brock, Allison

Utes by 3 1/2

Utah has their collective backs against the wall in the PAC-12 after losing to UCLA on the road last Saturday. I like them to slow down Lincoln and his offense and their home crowd to push them over the top. Always a big home field advantage in Salt Lake for the Utes. They’ll get back in the PAC-12 championship hunt.

No.13 TCU 35, No.8 Oklahoma State 34

Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Sean, Todd, Molly

Frogs by 4

I’m bullish on both these squads. I’ll be multitasking from 2:30-6 PM Saturday watching the Crimson Tide-UT, TCU-OK. State and others. That’s the case every week. The early and later games look to be multitask material as well. But I’ll be locked in on both of these games. Should be an epic contest in Fort Worth also.

No.4 Clemson 31, Florida State 24

Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee

6:30 PM CT

ABC

Fowler, Herbstreit, Rowe

Clemson by 3 1/2

Dabo and his Tigers will be tested. I like them to prevail at the Doak.

No. 18 Syracuse 21, No. 15 NC State 16

JMA Wireless Dome, Cuse

2:30 PM CT

ACC Network

Mike Manaco, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelsey Riggs

Cuse by 3 1/2

I would pick the Wolfpack, but their starting quarterback, Devin Leary, is out with an injury. I see a hard fought game that’ll be decided at the end, but I’ll take the Orange.

No.22 Texas 42, Iowa State 28

DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin

11 AM CT

ABC

Mark, RGIII, Quint

Texas by 16

The Horns looked stellar last Saturday in a 49-0 victory over Oklahoma. Quarterback Quinn Ewers is back from his sprained shoulder and he was phenomenal last Saturday. They’ve had trouble with Iowa State, so this will be a competitive game for a while.

No.19 Kansas 34, Oklahoma 31

Memorial Stadium, Norman

11 AM CT

ESPN2

Dave Rod, Tiffany Blackmon

OU by 9

I like an upset, but if you’ve watched these teams this season, it’s not a jaw dropping upset. Kansas is playing their second string quarterback, Jason Bean, but he threw 4 TD passes against TCU in relief of starter Jalen Daniels, who was hurt during the two teams’ stellar game last Saturday., a 38-31 TCU victory in Lawrence. Jayhawks Coach Lance Leipold is excellent.

Minnesota 28, No.24 Illinois 17

Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

11 AM CT

Big Ten Network

Brandon Gaudin, Jake Butt? Former Michigan Tight End, Rick Pizzo

Golden Gophers by 6 1/2

I like P.J. Fleck and his team to go to Champaign and rain on Bret Bielema and his 5-1 team’s parade. The Golden Gophers move to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, while Illinois will drop to 2-2 in the conference, but having a solid season thus far.

Notre Dame 35, Stanford 21

Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN.

6:30 PM CT

NBC/Peacock

Jacob, Jason, Zora, Zora, Zora Stephenson

Irish by 17

The Fighting Irish were impressive in defeating BYU at the great Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas last Saturday Night, 28-20. Michael “Halloween” Mayer, is the second best tight end in football after Brock Bowers of Georgia, and may put together an even better season than Bowers does this year. Mayer caught 11 passes for 118 yards and 2 TDs against BYU. Marcus Freeman and his Irish are picking it up, having won three in a row.

No.25 James Madison 28, Georgia Southern 21

Allen E. Paulson Stadium, Statesboro “Blues” GA.

3 PM CT

ESPN+

Danny Waugh, Cole Neely, Emily Grace McWhorter

Dukes by 11 1/2

The Dukes, under former Alabama assistant coach Curt Cignetti, (2007-10, wide receivers/recruiting coordinator) are one of the best stories in college football. I may not be able to watch them Saturday, but I plan to on Monday. This’ll be a test for a team that has gone to App State and won. This is their first year in the FBS and they are 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the Fun Belt.

UAB 44, Charlotte 14

Protective Stadium, B’ham

2:30 PM CT

Stadium, an app on the TV and the computer

Blazers by 23 1/2

After an impressive 41-14 victory over Middle Tennessee last Saturday at Protective, the Blazers try to move to 4-2 and 2-1 in C-USA. Protective is becoming a real home field advantage for the Blazers. They’ve got a solid team. Just have to prove they can win on the road. They’ll be @ Western Kentucky next Saturday. The Hilltoppers are 3-3 and 1-1 in conference. They’ve lost @ Troy and @UTSA the last two weeks.

Coastal Carolina 31, Old Dominion 17

Brooks Stadium, Conway, S.C.

11 AM CT

ESPNU

Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman, Dawn Davenport

CCU by 12

Coastal is 6-0 and 3-0 in the Sun Belt. They are putting their name back in the conversation for a New Year’s Six Bowl if they can keep it up. If Coastal and James Madison keep winning, a matchup at James Madison in Harrisonburg, VA. on November 26th will be electric.