Tennessee @ Alabama preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 23, 2010 ) Alabama 41, Tennessee 10

THE STORY: With a showdown with LSU looming on Nov. 5, this week's visit from Tennessee has all the makings of a trap game for No. 3 Alabama. But the Crimson Tide haven't fallen prey to the Volunteers in quite some time. Alabama has won four straight meetings and leads the series 47-38-7. The Volunteers' last win in Tuscaloosa, Ala., was a 51-43, five-overtime affair in 2003. Tennessee has lost five straight road games against SEC West opponents, dating to 2007.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com. LINE: Alabama -29

ABOUT TENNESSEE (3-3, 0-3 SEC West): The Volunteers are coming off back-to-back losses, including a 38-7 home loss to LSU last week. The offense stalled without sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray, who was lost for at least six weeks with a broken thumb on his throwing hand. Senior Matt Simms made his first start since Oct. 30, 2010, and was ineffective, going 6 of 20 for 128 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns.

ABOUT ALABAMA (7-0, 3-0): The Crimson Tide, who are No. 2 in the first BCS standings, continued to roll with a 52-7 road win at Mississippi last week. Alabama has won six of its seven games by 28 points or more, the exception a 16-point victory at Penn State. Star running back Trent Richardson rushed for a career-high 183 yards and four touchdowns against the Rebels. Richardson has topped 100 yards rushing in six straight games and needs only 88 yards to go over 1,000 for the season. The defense has been dominant and leads the nation in scoring defense (7.0), total defense (184.1) and rushing defense (38.1).

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Alabama has held opponents to 10 points or less 29 times during Nick Saban's 56-game tenure, including five times in seven games this season.

2. The Volunteers have not beaten a top five team since taking down No. 4 LSU in 2005, and they haven't knocked off a top 10 team since beating No. 10 Georgia in 2006.

3. Tennessee has scored 17 or fewer points in the past seven games against the Crimson Tide.

PREDICTION: Alabama 37, Tennessee 6 - The Volunteers' offense doesn't stand a chance against Alabama's dominant defense, especially without Bray.