Skip to main content
Join Now
Get a profile. Be recruited.

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel both side with Alabama over Tennessee

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh10/17/25griffin_mcveigh
Dylan Sampson, Tennessee Football | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
(Randy Sartin-Imagn Images) Oct 19, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Dylan Sampson (6) runs for a touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Neyland Stadium.

Cigar celebrations are on the line Saturday night in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Third Saturday in October brings some of the best traditions in college football out. Alabama plays host to Tennessee in a game both programs are desperate to win.

Just a couple of days before kickoff in Tuscaloosa, the College GameDay Podcast provided predictions. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was first up, talking about Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar. Thamel described Aguilar’s play as “inconsistent” since the first few drives vs. Georgia. Now, he goes up against a top secondary in Alabama.

“I think he has not quite seen something like he’s going to see on Saturday,” Thamel said. “So, I am going to go with the Tuscaloosa rendition of ‘Dixieland Delight’ and I’m going to take the Tide.”

Aguilar is completing a career best 64.8% of his throws, also leading college football with 14 touchdowns. However, five interceptions are the glaring issue on the stat sheet. Four of them are in SEC play, having a pair against Georgia and Mississippi State. You know Alabama is wanting to pull off a similar feat.

Rece Davis is on the same wavelength as his podcast partner, mentioning freshman cornerback Dijon Lee. However, there is more to the equation of picking Alabama for Davis. He likes Ty Simpson‘s chances of getting big games going for a couple of receivers. If there has been a weakness for Tennessee recently, it’s letting up chunk plays in the passing game when playing man coverage.

“I’m going to take Alabama too,” Davis said. “I think this is going to be a wild, high scoring game. Alabama still hasn’t solved all its problems in rush defense. Though they did a good job against Ahmad Hardy, they still gave up some chunk plays against Missouri. Alabama’s pass defense has been very good… I think Alabama gets Ryan Williams going, they get Germie Bernard going… I’m going to go with Alabama at home to win the game.”

Home teams have made a habit of holding serve in recent years. Split two each over the past four years, Tennessee is looking to break the trend. The program’s last win in Tuscaloosa was in 2003 with head coach Phillip Fulmer still in charge.

Unfortunately, neither one of Davis or Thamel are predicting them to get it done. Kalen DeBoer can get a fourth straight ranked win on the resume, continuing a great run since losing the season opener.