Who College GameDay Picked for Tennessee vs Alabama

Did anyone pick the Tennessee Volunteers in this game?

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) points toward the Tennessee fans after the Vols defeated Mississippi State in overtime at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Sept. 27, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers are one of the many teams in the nation who has been playing solid football as of late. Despite not winning some of these games in the fashion that they would've liked, the Vols still have a 5-1 record, when they could've been 6-0, but dropped the game against Georgia in OT.

The Vols now will face their toughest competition. That competition being the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the Tennessee vs Alabama game in the annual Third Saturday in October. The Vols have a lot to like, but they also have a lot to change if they want to win this contest. The Vols have the chance to be one of the better teams when this season concludes, which not everyone had on their check list and bingo card.

The Vols aren't favorites in this one, and they will need to step up in a major way if they want to win this one, in fact, the Vols haven't defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the state of Alabama since the year 2003. Some of the players on the Tennessee roster wasn't even born yet at that time.

The Vols have a tall hill to climb, but do the reporters and analysts think they will win this game? The College GameDay staff predicted this game during their slate of picking. Here is how each of the analysts picked the game.

Pat McAfee Picks Alabama

Pat McAfee, right, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

McAfee believes Alabama will be smoking cigars after the game.

Desmond Howard Picks Alabama

Host Desmond Howard arrives for ESPN College GameDay ahead of the University of Oklahoma-Michigan College football game on Sep 6, 2025 in Norman. | Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Howard believes that Alabama will come out physical over the Vols.

Kirk Herbstreit Picks Alabama

Kirk Herbstreit speaks on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Herbstreit picks Alabama with no explanation.

Nick Saban Picks Alabama

Oct. 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Former Alabama coach Nick Saban smiles as he is on set during ESPN’s College GameDay on location on the Quad at the University of Alabama before the Alabama versus Vanderbilt game. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Saban goes with Bama due to the home field advantage.

Jelly Roll Picks Tennessee

University of Tennessee, Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman poses for a picture with singer Jelly Roll during warm-ups before a college football game between Tennessee and Arkansas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Oct. 11, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jelly Roll believes the Vols will be on fire, and that Heupel won't let the fans down.

The Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide will be looking for a major win to their season. The game is set to kickoff around 7:30 PM EDT.

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