Overview

• Kickoff is Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC from Bryant‑Denny Stadium, with ESPN’s College GameDay on site in Tuscaloosa and Theo Von serving as guest picker.
• SEC availability reports list Alabama’s Qua Russaw, Jeremiah Beaman and Jah‑Marien Latham as out and James Smith unavailable for the first half, with Beaman and Latham out for the season and Russaw out indefinitely after foot surgery.
• Vanderbilt’s report rules out CB Marlon Jones, RB Chase Gillespie, S Brail Lipford and LB Jamison Curtis, lists DL Yilanan Ouattara as doubtful and CB Mark Davis as questionable.
• Johnny Manziel says he will be on the Vanderbilt sideline and has offered advice to Pavia on preparing for the road environment in Tuscaloosa.
• Joel Klatt cites Alabama’s issues stopping and generating the run and predicts the Tide will win at home but in a close game, projecting a 31–21 score.