Odds stacked against Tennessee as Alabama comes to Knoxville

Tennessee's 34-3 drubbing of Mississippi State last week couldn't have come at a better time for the Volunteers.

For the first time all year, both the offense and defense played well in the same game. The offense got off to its customary slow start, but settled down and produced four drives that had 10 plays or more. The defense registered five sacks and had three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

However, despite its win against Vanderbilt, Mississippi State is an average team at best. This week, Tennessee plays perhaps the best team in the Southeastern Conference when Alabama visits Knoxville.

In zooming to a 7-0 record, Alabama has jumped on opponents early. The best example was their racing to a 31-0 halftime lead against Georgia as they thoroughly outplayed the Bulldogs. They did the same against Clemson and Ole Miss.

Tennessee, on the other hand, has been plagued by slow starts. This is primarily because the offense has scored a total of 14 points in the first quarter all season. In last week's win, the Vols led only 6-3 at the half, but slow starts killed them against Florida and Georgia.

The Vols simply can't allow Alabama to jump on them early. The offense doesn't have the firepower to overcome a large deficit.

To win, Tennessee must control the game's tempo, which means the game must be an old-fashioned slugfest where the defense and special teams determine the flow of the game. If it becomes a shoot-out, Tennessee doesn't stand a chance.

The pick: Alabama 23 Tennessee 13

Other SEC picks: LSU over Georgia, Florida over Kentucky, Vanderbilt over Duke, West Virginia over Auburn, Mississippi State over Middle Tennessee, Mississippi over Arkansas.

Last week: 5-0 (1.000), Overall: 45-13 (.775)