KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Though the 2026 football season feels as if it began just yesterday, the third Saturday in October is just five days away.

And, lucky for fans of the Tennessee Volunteers, this year’s matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide will take place inside the friendly confines of Neyland Stadium.

On Saturday, the teams will face off for the 109th time in 125 years of the rivalry, with Tennessee winning 40 times, to Alabama’s 61.

And with Saturday’s matchup all but guaranteed to be an instant classic, every Volunteer fan has the same question: How can Tennessee get its 41st victory over Alabama?

Fortunately for the Volunteers, the answer to that question is perhaps simpler than ever before: run the ball.

Tennessee dominating the ground on Saturday is imperative, as its anemic aerial attack stands little chance against a stout Alabama secondary.

As ridiculous as it may sound, Tennessee should run the ball no fewer than 40 times in this game.

I say this for two main reasons, the first being that Tennessee has relied on attacking the ground for the entirety of the 2026 season, leading them to a 5-1 record.

The second, and more important, reason is that Volunteers’ head coach Josh Heupel is yet to name a starting quarterback for Saturday’s matchup, further dragging out a saga that has overshadowed the Volunteers’ early-season success.

“We will find out here throughout the week,” Heupel replied when asked who would be under center for the Volunteers on Saturday.

Heupel, however, was pleased with the performance of quarterback George MacIntyre on Saturday, perhaps foreshadowing that the redshirt freshman will get a second straight start against Alabama.

“I thought [MacIntyre] was decisive with the football,” Heupel said. “[He] did some things inside of the pocket that were really [impressive].

Ignoring the utter ridiculousness that is Heupel’s decision-making (or lack thereof), Tennessee must stick to the ground regardless of who starts at quarterback.

Across 161 total carries, Tennessee running backs DeSean Bishop and Daune Morris have combined for 1,010 rushing yards, an excellent pace of 6.3 yards per carry.

Their success has also been consistent throughout the start of SEC play, as the two have gained a combined 5.5 yards per attempt.

Abandoning the run early would be a grave mistake for Tennessee, especially considering DeSean Bishop’s Derrick Henry-like ability to consistently drag an otherwise lackluster offense across the finish line.

In three games against SEC opponents, the Volunteers have averaged just 161.3 passing yards per game.

It is not as though Tennessee has faced three powerhouse opponents, either.

Though the Volunteers’ struggles against then-No. 1 Texas were understandable, they passed for a grand total of 86 yards at home against Auburn the following week.

That was followed up by a 249-yard, two-interception outing this past Saturday against the Arkansas Razorbacks, one of the worst teams in the FBS.

Tennessee will eventually have to trust its quarterback(s) if it wants to be a contender for the College Football Playoff.

Neither quarterback, however, has earned that trust.

Though Tennessee’s offense is entirely one-dimensional, that one dimension might just be dominant enough to will them to victory on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Source: Yahoo Sports