Damien Harris knows what it takes to win on the Third Saturday of October. He did it four times across his four years in Tuscaloosa. And now, as an analyst for CBS, the retired running back thinks the key to the Crimson Tide beating Tennessee on Saturday night will be the other side of the ball.
“The key to victory, obviously, I expect both offenses to play at a high rate like they have been doing,” Harris said in an exclusive interview with FanSided promoting the Dr. Pepper, Pepper Portal.
“Which defense can make the stop, which team can get that key takeaway in the most pivotal moment of the game, which team can play the most sound, fundamentally sound football in the most important moments of the game, that's gonna lead to a win for one of these teams.”
Damien Harris thinks defense will determine the winner on the Third Saturday of October
Harris’s time in Tuscaloosa coincided with a 15-game winning streak by Alabama over its rival to the north. However, the Volunteers have recently started to punch back, winning two of the last three meetings, including last season’s contest in Knoxville, 24-17.
That matchup was Kalen DeBoer’s first foray into the rivalry, and his defensive coordinator, Kane Wommack, struggled to contain Tennessee’s run game. The eventual SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Dylan Sampson, ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries for the Volunteers.
Alabama’s run defense continued to be a problem in Week 1 of 2025, with Wommack’s unit helpless to stop Florida State and mobile quarterback Tommy Castellanos. However, last week the Tide faced Ahmad Hardy, the nation’s leading rusher, and held him to just 52 yards on the ground. Stopping Tennessee’s running back trio of DeSean Bishop, Star Thomas, and Peyton Lewis will be crucial, as will slowing down the Vols' high-powered passing attack.
Former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava fled Tennessee for UCLA in the Spring transfer portal window, leaving Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel to turn to Joey Aguilar, who flipped from UCLA after spending his last two seasons at Appalachian State. Aguilar and 6-foot-5 wide receiver Chris Brazzell II have combined to become one of the most explosive QB/WR combinations in the country.
Alabama can match Tennessee’s firepower, but as Harris points out, it may take a crucial defensive stand to down the Vols. Wommack’s defense ranks 31st in defensive success rate and 45th in Net EPA/drive, while Tennessee’s defense checks in at 110th and 113th, respectively. The Crimson Tide are an 8.5-point favorite at home, and the game has a total of 58.5 points.