Tennessee legend Peyton Manning is (unsurprisingly) picking the Volunteers to defeat No. 11 Alabama in Tuscaloosa this weekend.
And he isn’t being shy about it, either. Manning made the media rounds at the end of the week to share his thoughts on the upcoming game, last year’s game, and much more in between.
Manning joined the Always College Football podcast with ESPN analyst Greg McElroy on Thursday and broke down his thoughts on the game.
“It could be anyone’s day on that Saturday, right?” Manning said during the interview. “Could be the X receivers day, could be the tight end’s day, obviously could be Joe Milton’s day. So, hopefully, I feel like we have the type of playmakers throughout our offense that anybody can step up and have a huge day. I would just like to see – I know Josh would as well – just a little more balance, right? That affects how a defense is going to play you. It’s nice on a First and Ten if the defense has to worry about three different things happening. That puts pressure on defense and I was always about who is dictating who. I want Tennessee’s offense to be dictating the defense and I think we’re doing that at times, maybe just not doing it all the time.”
More from RTI: Peyton Manning Pokes Fun At Alabama Leading Into Saturday’s Game
Of course, though, Manning picked a score. The former Tennessee quarterback believes that the Volunteers will come away with a 20-17 victory over the Tide in Tuscaloosa this Saturday evening.
“I feel like the best chance for us to win is for it to be low scoring,” Manning said during the interview. “I think that means possessing the ball, you know, it’s hard for us to control the clock as fast as we run plays. I feel like if Josh is not getting 90 plays in a game it’s a letdown, it’s bad clock management, right? So it’s full speed. But like I said I think keeping the ball, keeping their offense off the field a little bit, 20-17 [Tennessee].”
Low-scoring road win for the #Vols?
Peyton Manning makes his prediction for @Vol_Football at @AlabamaFTBL this weekend 🔮 👀 #GBO pic.twitter.com/PBPSK5JycV
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) October 19, 2023
No. 11 Alabama will host No. 17 Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium in what will be a highly-anticipated SEC cross-divisional showdown.
Check out the full prediction clip on the Always College Football podcast with Greg McElroy by clicking the video below.
