A number of key match ups highlighted the SEC slate in week 7.

As No. 19 Tennessee was getting set to kickoff against Texas A&M at Neyland Stadium, both Alabama and Georgia were holding off Arkansas and Vanderbilt, respectively. Late Saturday night in Lexington, Missouri overcame an early deficit vs. Kentucky in a key eastern division battle.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION

The Vols (5-1, 2-1) emerged from the weekend with its own division goals still intact after beating the Aggies, 20-13 behind a dominant defensive performance. Now a road clash with No. 11 Alabama in Tuscaloosa next Saturday looms large.

Here is what we learned about Tennessee's upcoming conference foes on Saturday.

Alabama entered its match up with Arkansas as an overwhelming favorite and for three quarters, looked the part.

The Crimson Tide led 24-0 at one point before the Razorbacks stormed back in the fourth quarter to pull within one possession, but Alabama survived, 24-21

A week after a career performance in a win over Texas A&M, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was 10-of-21 passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns with another score on the ground.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Key takeaways: Vols survive defensive battle in front of checkered crowd

After being a non-factor vs. Texas A&M, the Crimson Tide run game managed 177 yards and Kobe Prentice finished with 93 receiving yards and a touchdown, providing the passing game with more than just Jermaine Burton who accounted for much of the receiving production last week.

The offense went stagnant in the second half as Arkansas climbed back into the game behind quarterback K.J. Jefferson, who totaled 150 passing yards and two second half touchdowns.

Alabama (6-1, 4-0) has rattled off five-straight wins since its 10-point loss to Texas in week 2 and is still the only unbeaten team in the western division, but its last two games have been decided by one possession.

Tennessee, which hasn't won at Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2003, plays at Alabama next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. The Vols snapped a 15-game losing skid to the Crimson Tide with a 52-49 win in Knoxville last season.

Georgia seemed to have figured out its first half woes in its dismantling of Kentucky last week.

The top-ranked Bulldogs trailed Vanderbilt early, but had a commanding 20-point lead in the second half. The struggling Commodores didn't go away, though, outscoring Georgia in the fourth quarter before Daijun Edwards scored late to keep the Bulldogs perfect with a 37-20 win in Nashville.

The biggest storyline from the win was the injury to Brock Bowers. The Georgia tight end has been the biggest part of the offense through six games, but left the game with what was later ruled a high ankle sprain.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: When Vols needed it most, Dee Williams provided spark vs. Texas A&M

It's unclear how much time, if any that Bowers will miss. Georgia (7-0, 4-0) has an open date this week but the back half of its schedule suddenly looks harder with games against Florida in Jacksonville, Missouri, Ole Miss and Tennessee remaining.

The offense will have to find other ways to move the ball if Bowers is absent.

Vanderbilt's struggles continue. The Commodores (2-6, 0-4) are winless in league play and the schedule doesn't get any easier with No. 13 Ole Miss up next.

Missouri is bowl eligible but its aspirations could be more than just a postseason berth.

A week after losing a shootout to LSU, the Tigers were down two touchdowns on the road against Kentucky in the first half but an explosive second quarter turned into a 38-21 rout in favor of Missouri.

Quarterback Brady Cook passed for 179 yards and a touchdown but the Tigers' defense, which gave up 530-plus yards against LSU, forced three turnovers, including two interceptions.

Missouri (6-1, 2-1) has a manageable slate ahead of it with games against South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida at home.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Josh Heupel's Tennessee defense carries him to uncharacteristic win

As for Kentucky (5-2, 2-2), the Wildcats have struggled since beating Florida three weeks ago. In back-to-back losses, Kentucky has been outscored 89-34.

Running back Ray Davis rushed for 128 yards vs. Missouri but the offense has looked too one-dimensional under transfer quarterback Devin Leary, who finished with 120 passing yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice.

Kentucky is off this week and host Tennessee at Kroger Field at the end of the month.

–––––

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @TMansfieldMedia, @ByNoahTaylor, @RealTBannerman, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media, @TylerIvens, @Hunter_DeNote.

–––––