Alabama and Tennessee are SEC rivals, and their game is known as the Third Saturday in October, one of the oldest rivalries in the South. This page tracks how sportsbooks price every meeting: the opening and closing lines, how far prices differ between books and the result. We update it before and after each game.

Next meeting: Alabama at Tennessee, Saturday, October 17

Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET. The prices below are an OddsBay snapshot from October 14, 2026, and they will move before kickoff. Compare live prices on the OddsBay price finder.

  • Spread: Alabama −8.5 (consensus across books)
  • Total: 51.5
  • Moneyline: Tennessee +260 (about 28%), Alabama −334 (about 77%)
  • Sportsbooks tracked: 44

How the line has moved

When OddsBay first recorded prices from several books, on Oct 9, the line was Alabama −5.5 with a total of 56.5. It is now Alabama −8.5 with a total of 51.5. The line has moved three points toward Alabama, from about 5.5 to 8.5, and the total has dropped five points.

Line chart of the Tennessee spread from +5.5 when first recorded to +8.5 on October 14, 2026
Tennessee spread since OddsBay first recorded the game, median across sportsbooks, through October 14, 2026.

Our guides to line movement and the closing line explain what a move like this can and cannot tell you.

How the teams have played this season

From the games OddsBay recorded this season, measured against each game’s closing line:

  • Alabama: 4–1 straight up, 3–2 against the closing spread; 4 overs and 1 under; 43.4 points scored and 22.8 allowed per game.
  • Tennessee: 4–1 straight up, 3–2 against the closing spread; 1 over and 4 unders; 30.4 points scored and 16.8 allowed per game.

These records cover only the games OddsBay recorded, a handful per team, and the market already knows them, so use them as context rather than a reason to bet. Four of Alabama’s five recorded games went over the total; four of Tennessee’s went under.

Line shopping for this game

As of the snapshot, OddsBay tracked these moneyline prices:

  • Alabama moneyline: from −400 at the worst book to −311 at the best. A winning $100 bet pays $7 more at the best price.
  • Tennessee moneyline: from +240 at the worst book to +300 at the best. A winning $100 bet pays $60 more at the best price.
  • The spread: books were split between 36 books at −8.5, 2 books at −9.5, 1 book at −8.
Chart of moneyline prices across 37 sportsbooks: Alabama from −400 to −311; Tennessee from +240 to +300
Worst and best moneyline prices for Alabama at Tennessee in an OddsBay snapshot on October 14, 2026.

Our line shopping guide shows how to compare books, and the vig guide explains why their prices differ.

What to check before kickoff

  1. Quarterbacks and injuries. College injury news is less formal than the NFL’s, so check team reports close to kickoff.
  2. Weather. Wind and rain affect totals most.
  3. Margins. College games are often decided by more than a touchdown; see our college football key numbers guide.
  4. Rivalry narratives. Records are already in the price; our rivalry games guide explains why.
  5. Prices across books. Compare on the odds comparison, then compare your price with the close.

Alabama vs Tennessee: the OddsBay record

OddsBay began tracking college football in September 2026, so this is the first meeting between these teams on record. After the game we add the closing line, the result and a chart of how the line moved.

More college football matchup guides

Auburn vs Georgia, Florida State vs Miami, Kansas vs Kansas State, North Carolina vs Duke, Penn State vs Michigan, Georgia vs Alabama, Auburn vs Tennessee, Iowa State vs BYU, BYU vs TCU, Miami vs Clemson, Ole Miss vs Florida, Iowa vs Michigan, Ohio State vs Iowa, Iowa vs Washington, Texas A&M vs LSU, Texas vs Oklahoma, Oregon vs USC, USC vs Penn State, Texas vs Tennessee, Washington vs USC

Betting responsibly

Rivalry games attract emotional bets. Decide your stake in advance (our guide to bankroll management shows how) and treat betting as entertainment. If gambling stops being fun, help is available: in the United States, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-MY-RESET.

Key takeaways

  • Alabama and Tennessee are SEC rivals; their game is the Third Saturday in October.
  • As of October 14, Alabama was favored by 8.5 with a total of 51.5.
  • The line has moved from Alabama −5.5 to Alabama −8.5 since OddsBay first recorded it.

Frequently asked questions

When do Alabama and Tennessee play?

Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Who is favored in Alabama vs Tennessee?

Alabama, by about 8.5 points as of October 14, 2026. Lines move before kickoff, so check current prices.