KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Fourteenth-ranked Tennessee will turn to quarterback George MacIntyre as the Volunteers prepare to host No. 6 Alabama on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in the 109th meeting of the famed Third Saturday in October rivalry.
MacIntyre is expected to make his second consecutive start under center while true freshman Faizon Brandon continues working back from a shoulder injury suffered Sept. 26 against Texas, ESPN reported. Brandon started Tennessee’s opening five contests of the campaign before sustaining the injury.
Quarterback change under center
MacIntyre stepped in during the Volunteers’ 24-14 victory over Auburn on Oct. 3 after Brandon struggled early and aggravated his shoulder ailment. The sophomore subsequently guided Tennessee to a 24-17 road win over Arkansas on Saturday, throwing for 247 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Over parts of two SEC games, MacIntyre has compiled 333 passing yards, one touchdown pass and two interceptions, along with a lost fumble. Brandon remains listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest, though he took more practice repetitions this week than he did prior to the Arkansas matchup, according to ESPN.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel publicly backed his young signal-caller earlier in the week despite the recent turnovers.
“I thought he was decisive with the football,” Heupel said during his weekly press conference. “Collectively as a group, we have to do a better job of taking care of the football.”
The Volunteers enter the weekend with a 5-1 record, leaning heavily on the ground game behind running back DeSean Bishop, who has rushed for 678 yards and eight touchdowns on the season. Protecting possession will be paramount against a Crimson Tide defense that has logged nine interceptions through six games, returning four of those takeaways for scores, according to ESPN.
A historic Southern rivalry
Alabama also enters the contest with a 5-1 record following a 20-17 loss to Georgia. The Crimson Tide hold an all-time series advantage of 61-40-7 dating back to their first clash on Nov. 28, 1901, which ended in a 6-6 Thanksgiving Day tie in Birmingham, Alabama.
While Alabama captured last season’s meeting in Tuscaloosa with a 37-20 victory, Tennessee has defended its home turf recently, winning the past two matchups in Knoxville in 2022 and 2024. The 2022 victory snapped a 15-year losing streak against the Crimson Tide, prompting spectators to storm the field and dump a goalpost into the Tennessee River.
The annual clash retains deep national prestige, traditionally punctuated by the victorious program smoking cigars in celebration. In its annual ranking of the 100 best rivalries across college football, The Athletic placed the Tennessee-Alabama matchup at No. 11, narrowly missing the top 10.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, as Tennessee looks to cement its standing in the SEC championship picture and extend its home streak against the Tide.
