Tennessee lists Faizon Brandon questionable as Alabama loses Ryan Coleman-Williams

Tennessee still has not settled its quarterback question for Saturday. The first SEC availability report for the game against No. 6 Alabama lists freshman Faizon Brandon as questionable with his right shoulder injury, the same designation he carried before last week's game at Arkansas, where he did not play. The Vols have six players ruled out: Dylan Lewis, offensive lineman Wendell Moe Jr., Joakim Dodson, Ethan Davis, Edrees Farooq and Jaedon Harmon, according to Tennessee Volunteers On SI.

Alabama has six players out of its own, and the biggest name is wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, who was helped off the field during last week's loss to Georgia. Desmond Umeozulu, Cayden Jones, Nick Sherman, Jeremiah Beaman and Terrance Green are also out. Racin Delgatty is questionable and Justin Hill is probable.

Brandon started Tennessee's first five games and went 4-1. He was hurt in the 20-17 loss to Texas on Sept. 26, pulled before halftime against Auburn, and kept to emergency duty at Arkansas while sophomore George MacIntyre made his first career start, Yahoo Sports reported. Josh Heupel has not named a starter. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Brandon's practice work picked up on Tuesday, 247Sports noted, but according to Rocky Top Insider, Thamel still sees MacIntyre as the favorite to start. At Arkansas, MacIntyre averaged 8.5 yards per attempt and threw a touchdown pass, but he also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.

What it means for Saturday

Both teams come in at 5-1, and both losses were 20-17 games against top-two opponents: Tennessee's to Texas, Alabama's to Georgia last week. Beyond that, the two teams have won in different ways. Alabama has scored 265 points, about 44 a game, and topped 45 in five straight games before Georgia held it to 17. Tennessee has been the better defensive team, allowing 15.5 points a game, but its offense has slowed since the quarterback change. It scored 24 points against both Auburn and Arkansas after averaging nearly 48 in its three nonconference wins.

That makes Coleman-Williams' absence worth watching for a Tide offense that will be tested by the best defense it has faced outside Athens. The Vols have also won the last two meetings at Neyland Stadium.

The board for the game still has Alabama clearly ahead. The Tide are favored at -300 on Novig and by 7.5 points, priced at -113. Tennessee is +277 on Novig, and the best Tennessee price across the 11 venues is Kalshi's +280, so the venues are close on the moneyline. The spread shows more difference. Novig has Tennessee +7.5 at even money, and FanDuel gives the Vols a full extra point at +8.5 (-110). The total is 51.5 on Novig and as high as 52.5 at bet365. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline runs from 4.2% to 6.1%.

If Brandon is cleared and starts, that would be the first real change to this matchup since Wednesday's report. Kickoff is Saturday on ABC.