Tennessee begins the first of critical back-to-back road games on Saturday at No. 11 Alabama.

The No. 19 Vols (5-1, 2-1 SEC) are coming off of a 20-13 slugfest victory over Texas A&M while the Crimson Tide (6-1, 4-0) held off Arkansas, 24-21 last Saturday.

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Tennessee snapped a 15-game losing streak to Alabama last season, winning 52-49 in a shootout that ended on a walk-off field goal as time expired, but Saturday's clash is setting up to be more of defensive battle, pitting the leagues best defenses to this point against each other.

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and Alabama head coach Nick Saban spoke on the SEC Coaches Teleconference and previewed the match up on Wednesday.

Here is everything Heupel said.

Opening statement

"We just finished up preparation here this morning on a Wednesday.Obviously everybody inside of our program understands the test that we have. Facing a really good Alabama football team. I think they play all three phases of the football game extremely well, but they're playing extremely well together. It's going to be a great environment and a huge test for our football team. Offensively, really efficient in what they're doing in the run game. The quarterback (Jalen Milroe) is continuing to develop better at a really high level. He's playing really good football right now. Obviously, he's extremely dynamic in what he's been able to do in the run game but he's really continuing to develop as a passer and pushing the ball down the football field as well as anybody in the country right now. Dynamic skill players out on the outside. A huge test for us defensively and offensively. Their defensive front, their ability to stop the run. They're big, thick, strong but extremely athletic up front. Obviously they're able to get after the quarterback as well. You look at their sack stats and, you know, really good personnel on the back end and special teams are extremely sound, too, so huge test here this week for us and one that we're excited about."

On what he has learned about Tennessee-Alabama rivalry

"I don't know if there is anything completely unexpected. It was the first thing that I heard about when I came here and, you know, for our fan base, this is one that they point to. It's a historic rival and obviously always played on the same weekend. You know, the passion and the pageantry and the excitement that surrounds it, I think, is really unique and, you know, obviously it's a big football game. It has historically had huge importance on the SEC races and the ability to put yourself in position to do the things you want to within the conference."

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On challenge of simulating a running quarterback in practice

"It's extremely difficult to finish the way these quarterbacks—the way (Milroe) has a chance to finish it. His strength, his speed, his ability to change direction. All of those things are something that is extremely difficult to emulate. It's something that your plays, for us defensively, we've got to settle into the football game extremely early on that side of it. I think the running quarterback is one of the hardest things to simulate during the course of your preparation. One, you're typically not tackling that guy and two, you know, as dynamic as he is, it's hard to have somebody back there that your defense is facing on a consistent basis throughout the course of the week."

On victory cigar tradition in Tennessee-Alabama rivalry

"Yeah, you know, I think hearing it from people that have been around this program, I think that part of the tradition of the game has always continued to grow and I think it's really unique. I've been in trophy games before. I've never been involved in anything quite like this one where the cigar is part of the celebration on the back end. My first memory of that was being in Tuscaloosa (in 2021) when we were on the wrong side of it. It's a really unique part of the game and celebration of this rivalry."

On who brings the cigars to road games vs. Alabama

"I'm going to be honest, that's the first time I've thought about that this week. There's enough to do in our preparation to get ready for these guys."

On how Tennessee-Alabama rivalry compares to Texas-Oklahoma

"This is a special one. You know, the proximity of everyone, the importance that is has always had. It's different than (Texas-Oklahoma) in that, that game is always played at a neutral site, so it's a little bit different, but it makes it extremely special because you are bouncing back-and-forth between being home and on the road, too. So, this rivalry is extremely special in college football, but for these two programs, too."

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On growth in Tennessee's run game and Alabama's ability to stop the run

"I said it earlier this week, we've had a lot of different pieces of up front. You know, just the way that the season has unfolded, we've had to play multiple guys because guys have been nicked up at times. I feel like they continue to settle in, continue to grow, continue to get better. Our tight ends have been really instrumental in it and you know, we've got three running backs that have had experience and are playing their best football. All of that pairs in together and obviously the quarterback is a part of that, too. I like the growth of what we've been able to do up there, but this is a big challenge, man. (Alabama), first of all, their personnel is really good at all three levels and I say that meaning their safeties are in the fit, too and they do an extremely good job of tackling. Their linebackers are fast and physical and their front four, you know, is special. So, huge test for us in this one. And, you know, the balance for us offensively, we've got to be able to maintain some balance. I think the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball is really important in this game."

Opening statement

"This is a great rivalry here. It's a special one for lots of people in Alabama and it's one of the best rivalries in college football throughout the years. (Tennessee has) a very, very good team. They can run it, they can throw it offensively. The defense is, you know, one of the tops in the SEC. Hard to score against. Very well-coached team. Their pace of play is very challenging for the defense, so a lot of challenges in this game. Playing a great rivalry game against a great team, it's what the players look forward to."

On feelings towards victory cigar tradition

"Well, I guess it's fun when you get the opportunity to smoke a cigar. I don't smoke, so I just kind of chew on one for a little bit, but you know, I think games like this that have sort of special innuendos that go with them, it's probably good for the players. It's probably good for the players' relationships with each other to do things like that.I don't think there's anything bad about it."

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On if Tennessee's win last season has added extra motivation in practice this week

"We've always had a tremendous amount of respect for Tennessee, their program and they obviously had a really good team last year. They've got a really good team this year, so I think the spirit comes from the challenge of, you know, what you have to play against and not necessarily what happened the last several years. This is a big game for a lot of reasons, you know, for both sides relative to the SEC and all kinds of things, so there's a lot of reasons to have spirit about playing in this game. I think our players certainly understand all of those."

On how disappointing it would be the new SEC scheduling format took away Tennessee-Alabama on an annual basis

"I just think that's happening all over college football, where you're going to have, you know, these great rivalry games that players, fans, everyone in the program sort of looks forward to are not going to be able to exists on a year-to-year basis. I think there's a lot of people that are disappointed that some of those things."

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