Overview

• Kickoff is Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with ESPN’s College GameDay airing from Tuscaloosa earlier in the day.
• Alabama’s availability report lists edge Qua Russaw out indefinitely and linemen Jeremiah Beaman and Jah-Marien Latham out for the season, with James Smith suspended for the first half.
• Vanderbilt enters 5-0 behind Pavia’s breakout (third in QBR, 74.6% completions, 1,505 total yards and 15 touchdowns) after last year’s 40-35 win over the Tide.
• Alabama QB Ty Simpson has been highly efficient (69.3% passing, 1,138 yards, 11 touchdowns, zero interceptions) as the Tide lean on a strong passing attack.
• Oddsmakers favor Alabama by double digits, though analysts cite the Tide’s run-defense issues (200-plus rushing yards allowed to Florida State and Georgia) and predict a competitive game, including Joel Klatt’s 31-21 pick.