Tennessee
A weird Alabama-Tennessee week arrives with a limp rather than swagger
The Third Saturday has been a rivalry of streaks. One team dominates a decade (or 1½) in a row then swaps.
One such cycle closed in 2022 when Tennessee ended Alabama’s string of 15 straight wins before the Crimson Tide returned the favor last year.
Two years later, they’ll reunite in Knoxville in very weird places.
It’s hard to say who’s riding in with tailwind in the effort to start another streak in what’s looking more like an era of parity rather than rivalry control.
Once two of the hottest teams exiting September, both stumble into Neyland Stadium after two odd Saturdays in October.
After suffering twin road upsets to unranked teams last week, each bizarrely played home escapes against two more unranked teams on Saturday.
Alabama’s two spooky Saturdays included the road loss at Vanderbilt and a heart-stopping 27-25 win over South Carolina. A defensive disaster in Nashville was followed by general ineptitude in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Anyone reading this is familiar with the Crimson Tide’s struggles in recent games.
So, what’s the deal in Knoxville?
It’s mostly about the offense that averaged 64 points in its first three games and 22 since. Of course, the level of competition rose from beating up on Chattanooga, NC State and Kent State.
Where Alabama’s defense is among the league’s worst in points allowed in SEC games, Tennessee suddenly can’t score.
This looks like a showdown of a very stoppable object meeting an equally moveable force.
A 25-15 Tennessee road win at Oklahoma was the first of three offensive performances ending with similar numbers. The Vols finished with between 345 and 312 yards in each of its three SEC games after rolling up 740 against Kent State and 718 against Chattanooga.
As with anything, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Tennessee is nowhere near as explosive as it was against the cupcakes, but it is probably better than the low 300s in total yardage.
A 19-14 Vol loss at Arkansas on the same day Alabama lost to Vanderbilt took some of the outside attention away from this Third Saturday game. Georgia at Texas is the premier game on the national stage now.
Then Saturday, hours after Alabama’s narrow win over South Carolina, Tennessee’s offense was even more invisible against Florida.
Like the Tide, Tennessee escaped the second Saturday trap. It required overtime (winning 23-17) after going without points until 2:57 remained in the third quarter. The win could’ve easily been a Gator blowout if the visitors didn’t go 0-for-4 scoring touchdowns on first-half red zone trips.
A look at the Vols’ last three offensive games, statistically.
Opponent … Pass … Rush … Total … Points
Oklahoma … 194 … 151 … 345 …. 25
Arkansas … 158 … 174 … 332 … 14
Florida … 169 … 143 … 312 … 23
What’s the deal?
“I don’t think we’re far off, you know what I mean,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel told reporters after the Florida game. “But, man, it’s not just the pass game, it’s the run game, too. Missed assignments, fundamentals, technique. It’s guys [are] open, we don’t hit it. Guys [are] open, we’re getting pressured. It’s everybody taking their turn, and at some point we’ve got to say, you know what I mean, we’re going to man up and do our job and make this thing go the way that it’s capable of.”
Talent isn’t the issue. This is clearly a capable group. That also sounds a lot like the situation in Tuscaloosa with the Alabama defense.
The last three games haven’t been anything to remember for them, either.
Opp. … Pass … Rush … Total … Points
Georgia … 439 … 80 … 519 … 34
Vandy … 252 … 166 … 418 … 40
S. Car. … 242 … 131 … 374 … 25
In conference games, Alabama’s allowing 437.0 yards per game. That’s good for 15th of 16 SEC teams.
The story isn’t much better for the Tennessee offense. Its 329.7-yard average against SEC teams is 14th of 16.
That said, Alabama’s offense is fifth in SEC games and Tennessee’s defense is sixth.
Statistics aside, the eye test isn’t impressive for either as they head to Neyland Stadium on Saturday. They were cruising in September but middle of the pack since then.
You’re looking at teams who lost as double-digit favorites on the first Saturday of October and then escaped near-death experiences as double-digit home favorites on the second.
What’s to come on the third?
In this wildly unpredictable season, this one’s as tough to forecast as any. In a rivalry as streaky as any, you’ll see two teams Saturday eager to end their suddenly sagging play with pride and playoff hopes at stake.
Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A bill moving through the Tennessee Legislature could reshape how pharmacies do business in the state, with CVS warning it could lead to widespread store closures.
The Tennessee Senate has passed legislation that would change the way pharmacies can operate. The proposal has been dubbed “the CVS bill” because it directly impacts the drugstore chain.
Under the bill, drugstores would no longer be allowed to negotiate prices directly with insurance providers or government programs. Instead, a third party would be required to step in.
The bill is now under debate in the House. CVS says the change would force more than 100 of its pharmacies to close across Tennessee, but lawmakers disagree.
Tennessee football star Jermod McCoy is the player who will likely hear his name called first from the Tennessee program in the upcoming NFL Draft. There are many teams he would fit well, but these three teams are the teams I believe he is the best fit with at this moment.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a cornerback in the draft class, and they are likely to spend one of their first two picks on one. They are selecting at No. 12 and No. 20 in the draft as of now, and McCoy could hear his name called. He would be joining a decent group of cornerbacks, but he would be an immediate starter, likely alongside a later selection that they make with a cornerback.
It would be shocking if the Cowboys pass on him if they select at 12 and he is still on the board. McCoy would be an immediate starter and would be someone who could shut down a whole side of the field for the Cowboys early in his career.
2. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins is one of the better fits for Jermod McCoy, and it would make the most sense, as the Dolphins could use almost every position after a major haul of their players. They are in a major rebuilding phase and drafting at No. 11 leaves many to believe that McCoy could be in play.
McCoy would likely be their No. 1 cornerbakc the day he got to the franchise, and would have the chance to dominate the way he did in his one season on the field with the Vols. This selection would depend on who drops out of the first ten selections. If he is one of the better players remaining (highly likely) he very well could hear his name called at pick 11.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have the chance to be very good when it comes to the draft, as they are drafting at both No. 2 and No. 16. I believe they will be looking to get a cornerback with their No. 16 pick, which would make a lot of sense considering they had to get rid of Sauce Gardner.
McCoy would be the perfect replacement, as they could find themselves in one of the better situations on the defensive side of the football. He can shutdown a side of the field, and I would bet that he would be a great fit with the Jets because of that exactly.
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Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
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