Tennessee vs. Alabama Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 8

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Tennessee vs. Alabama matchup in Week 8 of the college football season.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is second in the Heisman odds. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Two top-25 teams in the SEC face off in Week 8, as the Alabama Crimson Tide host the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night.

Ty Simpson and the Crimson Tide lost their opener to Florida State, but they have met every test since, knocking off three straight ranked teams in Georgia, Vanderbilt and Missouri to move to 5-1 in the 2025 season. 

They’ll take on a Tennessee team that is also 5-1, losing only to Georgia (in overtime) this season.

Oddsmakers have set Alabama as a pretty sizable favorite at home, but should bettors lay the points with the No. 6 team in the country?

Let’s dive into the odds, players to watch and my prediction for this SEC showdown in Week 8. 

Tennessee vs. Alabama Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Tennessee +8.5 (-115)
• Alabama -8.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Tennessee: +260
• Alabama: -325

Total

• 58.5 (Over -112/Under -108)

Tennessee vs. Alabama How to Watch

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Bryant-Denny Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): ABC
• Tennessee record: 5-1
• Alabama record: 5-1

Tennessee vs. Alabama Key Players to Watch

Ty Simpson, Quarterback, Alabama

Simpson now has an SEC-best 16 touchdown passes to just one interception, and he threw for 200 yards and three scores in the win over the Missouri Tigers in Week 7.

The Alabama quarterback is second in the odds to win the Heisman, and he should be able to dice up a Tennessee defense that ranks 98th in the country in EPA/Pass.

Simpson has at least 200 passing yards in every game, and he’s chipped in 58 rushing yards and two scores on the ground as well in 2025. 

This is another chance for him to make a push for the top spot in the Heisman odds, as Alabama is taking on a ranked opponent for the fourth week in a row.

Tennessee vs. Alabama Prediction and Pick

I think 8.5 points is a lot to give in this matchup, but I like the OVER as my best bet on Saturday night.

These are two elite offenses, as Tennessee ranks ninth in EPA/Play and Alabama ranks seventh in the 2025 season. The Volunteers are just 98th in defensive EPA/Play and 110th in defensive success rate, which has led to a lot of high-scoring games.

Tennessee has combined for 59 or more points in all six of its games this season, allowing 31 or more to every SEC opponent that it has played.

Alabama is better defensively (42nd in EPA/Play, 31st in success rate), but it did allow 24 points to Missouri in Week 7. 

I think the Crimson Tide end up winning this game, but this could be a shootout early with Tennessee riding the impressive arm of Joey Aguilar (leads the SEC in passing yards) to some points.

Let’s root for a high-scoring affair between these two ranked teams. 

Pick: OVER 58.5 (-112 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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