Alabama football is set to take on Tennessee Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. This edition of the Third Saturday in October rivalry holds some serious stakes, as the Crimson Tide will look to maintain its undefeated SEC record and keep its championship hopes alive.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. and will be aired on CBS. Before UA and the Volunteers take the field, here are three questions for the Tide to answer.

Can Alabama play 60 minutes?

Last week, everything was rolling for the Tide against Arkansas. UA took a 24-6 lead and was clearly the better team in the third quarter.

Then the wheels fell off. Arkansas crawled back to within three points, before Alabama took control of the clock late and the Razorbacks couldn’t get the ball back.

Despite the 24-21 win, Alabama coach Nick Saban had some concerns with his team’s lack of ability to finish.

“Hopefully we can learn how to beat the other team,” Saban said after the game. “Not just win the game, but beat the other team, which means you gotta play for 60 minutes. You gotta execute, do your job, have discipline, do it one play at a time for 60 minutes in the game.”

Tennessee is a better team than Arkansas across the board. Can Alabama execute consistently enough to avenge last year’s loss to the Volunteers?

Can the Tide stop the Tennessee deep threat?

Hendon Hooker is gone. The quarterback behind last year’s Tennessee resurgence, including the win against Alabama, is off to the NFL’s Detroit Lions.

In his place is Joe Milton. So far, the signal-caller hasn’t quite been able to fill the hole left by Hooker’s departure.

Still, he has perhaps the strongest arm in the SEC. If Alabama isn’t careful in the defensive backfield, Milton and Tennessee’s stable of wide receivers will go over its head to great effect.

This UT team is different from last year’s. It more effectively uses the run to set up the passing game, emphasizing the ground game much more than the 2022 squad.

And Milton has had his struggles throughout the season. But he has the talent and could be due for a huge performance and Alabama will need to be sure it doesn’t come on Saturday

Can Alabama protect Jalen Milroe?

Jalen Milroe has cemented himself as Alabama’s starter and has gotten better and better as the season has gone along. At times, that’s been despite his offensive line, not because of it.

Some of Alabama’s issues with allowed sacks can be pinned on Milroe’s tendency to hold the ball too long. But that’s just a small part.

Alabama has allowed 31 sacks so far this season, leading the SEC. Earlier in the week, Saban was asked whether that’s a concern for him, and he responded with a “Hell yeah.”

He also pinpointed where he thought the problem was.

When we’re sliding out, to block three on three, and the guy doesn’t slide out to block the third guy and he runs in to sack the quarterback, that’s a mental error,” Saban said. “That’s not a physical problem. It’s a combination of all those things that need to get cleaned up with better communication, better execution.”

Tennessee ranks third in the SEC so far with 24 sacks on the season. The Volunteer front is going to present a huge challenge for the Tide, one that could play a major factor in deciding the game.