Nick Saban's Alabama-Tennessee prediction just in

ESPN analyst and former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has made his pick for the annual battle of Tennessee and Alabama. Saban does a solid job of setting aside his rooting interests, so he carefully explained his pick as he took his former employer, Alabama, to win as a home favorite in the rivalry matchup.

Saban's pick

I think this is two very explosive offenses and I think this is going to be a really high-scoring game. But since we're playing in Tuscaloosa, I'm gonna go with 'Bama.Nick Saban

Saban's concern for Vols

Always the professional, Saban tried to explain his reasoning and laid out his biggest issue for the Vols heading into the game.

I think one of the things that is more difficult for Tennessee is playing on the road. I think the crowd can affect their ability to go fast. But when they go fast... you need to get off the field on third down. Because when they can extend drives... they become most effective.Nick Saban

That said, Saban couseled Tide QB Ty Simpson to "be very patient" and warned the Tide that "Tennessee is stubborn about running the ball and you better stop it."

It is worth noting that Saban wasn't the only GameDay picker to choose the Tide. In fact, the other cast members-- Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee-- all made the same pick.

Tide/Vols History

Alabama leads the series with Tennessee 60-39-8. Under Saban's leadership, the Tide put together the longest winning streak in the series, spanning from 2007 to 2022. After a 15-0 start in the rivalry, Saban was bested by the Vols in 2022 in Knoxville.

The Vols have won two of the last three games in the series, but both of those wins have come in Knoxville. Tennessee last won at Alabama in 2003 in a five-overtime 51-43 epic.

Today's game will likely feature victory cigars. A tradition dating back to an Alabama trainer in the 1950s, the winning team hands out cigars in the post-game locker room. Historically, that winning team self-reports an NCAA violation for distributing the "extra benefit" cigars to its players.