2 min read • October 11, 2022
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One of the most significant matchups of the upcoming weekend in college football is a highly ranked matchup between the third-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide and the sixth-ranked Tennessee Vols.
This matchup has two of the top six Heisman Trophy favorites ready to battle, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. But one of these quarterbacks missed their team’s last game with an injury and is questionable to play this week.
Bryce Young has the second-highest odds of being the first pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He was also the number one rated high school football prospect in the 2020 class. Last year he even won the glamorous Heisman Trophy and led his team to a national championship birth. But, an injury has raised questions about his long-term durability as a 6’0", 194-pound quarterback.
Young injured his shoulder against a ranked Arkansas team, keeping him out of the team’s next game. He was cheering on backup quarterback Jalen Milroe and the rest of the team from the sideline.
According to the College Football Docs, Young’s sprained AC joint is usually a 1-2 week absence. Young will be available to play in a big matchup against Tennessee. Even if he has lingering pain, he can opt for a pain-numbing injection or play through the pain.
Young injured his AC joint throwing a diving pass, landing on his shoulder. Once Young went to the sideline, the medical examiners realized that his shoulder quickly shifted out and back in the socket. He went to the locker room with 7:06 left in the second quarter and didn’t return.
Before getting injured, Young was 7-of-13 for 173 yards and one touchdown pass. This season he has thrown for 1,202 yards and 14 touchdowns with an 84.7 QBR.
Backup quarterback Jalen Milroe started in Young’s absence. But, he didn’t have the same impact through the air as Young has all season by throwing for only 111 yards versus Texas A&M. But, he used his dual-threat ability to gain 83 more yards. Milroe will remain the starter if Young can’t play this Saturday.
Another injury the Crimson Tide is battling is a neck injury suffered by defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe. The neck injury is serious, and Eboigbe is out until a medical specialist clears him. Alabama head coach Nick Saban discussed the injury at his Monday press conference.
“He’s got a neck injury that we’re having specialists look at to make sure we manage correctly,” said Saban. “We’re not gonna allow him to play until we can get the exact, most expert plan of action for him and his future.”
The Tennessee Vols will be without starting defensive back Warren Burrell after he had season-ending surgery to repair an upper-body injury.
Burrell was the number one cornerback for the Vols and had 41 tackles last season while starting every game.
This year he’s only played in two contests before having his season cut short. But, his performance as the team’s number one corner was lacking. He could not capture an interception and had only one pass deflection in his two games.
But the Vols rank last in the SEC in passing yards per game, with 307.4. The team could have problems with a high-flying Alabama passing attack.
Redshirt senior Cedric Tillman is “day-to-day” after having surgery on his ankle. It was a tightrope procedure on the injured ankle and the recovery is expected to be quick, but he will miss Saturday's contest.
His head coach discussed his injury on Monday, “He was limited,” Heupel said, “but moving around a little bit today. We’ll continue to see how it unfolds this week and where we’re at.”
Tillman caught 17 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown in the team’s first three games.
The Alabama Crimson Tide are favored by 8.5 points, and the over/under is 67.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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