Alabama didn’t leave a good impression to start the campaign, but the No. 6 Crimson Tide look sparkling at the midway point of the regular season.
After losing to Florida State, Alabama has five straight victories as it prepares to battle No. 11 Tennessee in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday night at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The Crimson Tide (5-1, 3-0) are one of three teams unblemished in SEC play — No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 5 Ole Miss are the others — after beating three straight conference opponents. Two of the wins have come on the road — impressive three-point triumphs over then-No. 5 Georgia on Sept. 27 and then-No. 14 Missouri last weekend.
“It’s not just the last three weeks, it’s really the last five, six weeks since we dropped Week 1,” Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Just the resiliency these guys have, and it’s in games, it’s just them sticking together. They’re playing for each other, just got to keep it rolling.”
The annual Third Saturday in October matchup also is important for Tennessee (5-1, 2-1) as it looks to stay in contention for a conference championship game spot in the 16-team league.
The Volunteers lost 44-41 in overtime to Georgia on Sept. 13 and have rebounded with three straight victories. Tennessee edged visiting Arkansas 34-31 last Saturday.
Volunteers coach Josh Heupel now looks to guide his squad past the Crimson Tide for the third time in the last four meetings.
“Great historical game, rivalry game,” Heupel said. “I know it will be a great environment against a great football team, and looking forward to it. We have to go do a great job in our preparation.
“You look at how they’re playing — offensively, defensively, special teams — playing at a really high level right now … This is why you come to Tennessee, to play in a game like this — a great rivalry game with Alabama.”
The Crimson Tide’s success revolves around quarterback Ty Simpson.
Simpson has thrown multiple touchdown passes in all six games and now is mentioned as a leading Heisman Trophy candidate. He is completing 70.9 percent of his passes for 1,678 yards, 16 touchdowns and one interception.
Simpson passed for three touchdowns last week as Alabama downed Missouri 27-24 to halt the Tigers’ 15-game home winning streak.
“He’s got the ability, there’s no question,” DeBoer said of Simpson. “When he stays within himself, he can make amazing plays, and we just have to give him a little time. When he does, and the guys run the right routes, it’s more about being in the right place at the right time.
That win at Missouri, combined with Oregon’s home loss against Indiana, made the Crimson Tide’s 15-game home winning streak the tops in the nation.
Alabama has committed just two turnovers this season while forcing 11. That fact concerns Heupel.
“Well, we need to win the turnover battle, first of all,” he said. (Simpson has) been great with the football, been really sound in decision making. For us, we gotta go play assignment sound. You gotta apply pressure to the quarterback. That’s part of creating turnovers.
“You gotta do a great job of matching out and making plays on the back end, too. And gotta put her helmet on the football and get some punches too, and try to knock it out that way.”
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar has passed for 1,680 yards, 14 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.
