Alabama vs Tennessee Opening Odds – Vols 27.5-Point Underdogs in Tuscaloosa Against Crimson Tide

• No. 5 Alabama hosts Tennessee in Week 8 on Saturday, October 23rd
• The Crimson Tide have won 14 straight games against the Vols
• Read below for the full opening odds and projected line movement

Alabama will look to continue its dominance of Tennessee when they welcome the Vols to Bryant-Denny Stadium in Week 8 on Saturday, October 23rd. The Crimson Tide have opened as heavy 27.5-point favorites in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama bounced back from an upset loss to Texas A&M with an impressive victory over Mississippi State in Week 7, while Tennessee is coming off a close loss to Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss.

We layout the opening odds and tell you which direction the line is likely to move.

Alabama vs Tennessee Week 8 Opening Odds

Odds as of Oct. 17th at DraftKings.

Tide Are Back on Track

Alabama is back on track after suffering a shocking upset loss to Texas A&M in Week 6. The Crimson Tide rebounded with a commanding 49-9 victory over Mississippi State in Week 7. QB Bryce Young threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns as the Crimson Tide amassed 543 yards of total offense vs the Bulldogs.

This was a much-needed performance from the Crimson Tide after losing to an unranked Aggies team the prior weekend. Nick Saban’s team dominated on both sides of the ball, holding Mike Leach’s air-raid offense to only 299 total yards of offense. The Crimson Tide had seven sacks and came up with three turnovers.

Alabama entered the game against Mississippi State as 21.5-point favorites and covered the spread in convincing fashion. They’re 3-1 ATS in their last four games heading into Week 8 vs Tennessee. The Crimson Tide have dominated the Vols in recent years, covering the spread as heavy favorites in four of the last five meetings.

Vols Lose To Ole Miss

Tennessee enters Week 8 against Alabama coming off a wild loss to Ole Miss in Week 7. The Rebels held off the Vols by a 31-26 score at Neyland Stadium. After a call late in the game didn’t go their way, Tennessee fans expressed their frustration by throwing trash and debris onto the field.

Lane Kiffin got hit by a golf ball from the stands in Knoxvillepic.twitter.com/ZrNyqCPCRh

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 17, 2021

Tennessee fans hitting Lane Kiffin with a golf ball is becoming the talking point from the game, but bettors need to take note of a key injury. Vols QB Hendon Hooker went down in the fourth quarter after being tackled from behind. The senior pivot couldn’t put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the field.

The Hooker injury looms large for Tennessee with Alabama next on the schedule. Hooker accounted for 340 yards of offense and two TDs against the Rebels and is clearly superior to backup Joe Milton. The former Michigan QB made a bizarre decision to run out of bounds on the final play Saturday. Josh Heupel didn’t have an update on Hooker following the game.

Expected Line Movement

Given how one-sided this rivalry has been lately, Alabama should receive most of the betting money leading up to kickoff. The Vols have showcased their offensive potential in wins over inferior opponents, but they’ve struggled against top competition. Tennessee has lost to Pittsburgh, Florida and Ole Miss this season.

Hendon Hooker injury news should have an impact on how this line moves, but he isn’t the only key player Tennessee is missing. The Vols were also without top running back Tiyon Evans against Ole Miss due to an ankle injury. It’s unclear if Evans, who leads the team with 486 rushing yards, will be available against Alabama.

Nick Saban has his team heading in the right direction after that hiccup in Week 6 against Texas A&M. They’ve beaten Tennessee by an average of 33.4 points in the last five meetings and have the weapons to win big once again in 2021. Expect the line to move in the Tide’s direction leading up to kickoff.