ESPN College Gameday 2022: TV Schedule, Predictions and Location for Week 7
ESPN's College GameDay is heading to Knoxville, Tennessee—again. That's because the city is hosting another marquee SEC matchup that could have a huge impact on the conference outlook.
The No. 6-ranked Vols will be taking on No. 3-ranked Alabama on Saturday in a battle of unbeaten teams. It's one of the six matchups featuring a pair of ranked teams taking place in Week 7.
It's the second time in four weeks that College GameDay will air live from outside Neyland Stadium. The popular college football kickoff show, which airs Saturday at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN, was in Knoxville for Tennessee's win over Florida on Sept. 24.
Alabama has won each of its past 15 meetings with Tennessee, as the Vols haven't defeated the Crimson Tide since 2006.
Before further breaking down that matchup, here's the schedule for ranked teams in Week 7, along with predictions for each game.
Week 7 Top 25 Schedule, Predictions
Saturday, Oct. 15
No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan, noon ET, Fox
Auburn at No. 9 Ole Miss, noon ET, ESPN
No. 19 Kansas at Oklahoma, noon ET, ESPN2
Iowa State at No. 22 Texas, noon ET, ABC
Minnesota at No. 24 Illinois, noon ET, Big Ten Network
Vanderbilt at No. 1 Georgia, 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
No. 3 Alabama at No. 6 Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 8 Oklahoma State at No. 13 TCU, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
No. 15 NC State at No. 18 Syracuse, 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network
No. 25 James Madison at Georgia Southern, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN+
No. 4 Clemson at Florida State, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
No. 16 Mississippi State at No. 22 Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
No. 7 USC at No. 20 Utah, 8 p.m. ET, Fox
Picks in bold.
Alabama-Tennessee Preview
Every year, Alabama and Tennessee meet on the third Saturday in October. It's an SEC rivalry series with a ton of history, as the two programs have faced off 104 times dating back to 1901.
In recent years, though, the Crimson Tide have dominated the Vols. Their 15-game winning streak has pushed their all-time lead in the series out to 59-37-8.
This year has the potential to be different, however. Tennessee has been impressive during its 5-0 start and has already claimed three victories over ranked opponents (Pittsburgh, Florida and LSU).
Can the Vols finally turn the tide? Or will the Crimson Tide win yet again?
That could depend on the health of Alabama junior quarterback Bryce Young, who continues to be one of the best players in the country. He was out last week due to a right shoulder injury, and the Crimson Tide narrowly defeated Texas A&M 24-20 without him.
If last season's Heisman Trophy winner is out again, Tennessee may have its best chance to beat Alabama in quite some time. And it will only help the Vols to be playing in a raucous environment that could make it tough on the visitors.
"We understand the type of opponent that we’re playing," Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said, per Grant Ramey of 247Sports.com. "It’s a big game for everybody inside the program because this is the one we’ve got Saturday afternoon. For our fanbase, our former players, understanding the importance, this is one of the games that everybody circles."
In order for the Vols to end their losing streak against the Tide, they may need to find a way to limit the production of Jahmyr Gibbs (especially if Young doesn't play). The running back has rushed for 360 yards and two touchdowns over Alabama's past two games.
Tennessee has the offensive potential to keep up, though. Senior quarterback Hendon Hooker has played well for the Vols thus far, passing for 1,432 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions this season.
"The guy’s a really good athlete," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said of Hooker, per Ryan Callahan of 247Sports.com. "Knows the offense really well. Can make plays with his feet, but he’s a really, really good passer."
It will likely be a competitive game in Knoxville, especially if Young doesn't play. His absence would give the Vols a better chance of finally knocking off the Crimson Tide.
Still, Alabama is a talented team and will be the favorite either way. So, Tennessee still has to overcome the odds and win as an underdog, even if the spread isn't as large as it has been for this matchup in the recent past.
If Young plays, expect the Tide to win handily. But they should be in a good position to end up on top anyway, perhaps even moving back up to the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 poll in the process.
