Tennessee looking to pick up a win over Florida while also beating Alabama on Saturday
There will be some big names in attendance between the Vols and Crimson Tide this weekend.
The Tennessee Vols have a huge game this weekend, with the Alabama Crimson Tide coming to Knoxville for their annual Third Saturday in October clash. The stakes for the game are peak for both programs, who come in with matching 5-1 records and in desperate need to avoid a second loss for playoff purposes.
The stakes are even higher for Tennessee beyond 2026. Josh Heupel and his staff will be welcoming a big list of notable recruits this weekend, with David Gabriel Georges and a number of other 2027 commits expected to be there. That list also includes big name 2028 recruits, with the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee, Jermaine Cobbins, expected to attend.
A number of players committed elsewhere will also be in town, and, according to On3 Sports/Rivals insider Chad Simmons, that includes Florida commit Samuel Bailey.
Florida OT commit Samuel Bailey among recruits at Tennessee vs. Alabama this weekend
Bailey, from Huntsville, Alabama (Jemison), is a big target, both literally and figuratively. The 6-5.5, 300-pound lineman is one of the top offensive linemen and one of the top overall prospects in the nation. A consensus four-star, Rivals ranks him as the No. 32 overall player, No. 5 offensive tackle, and No. 3 player in the state of Alabama for the 2028 cycle.
Bailey holds offers from just about every major program, but he’s taken multiple visits this year to a handful of program: Alabama, Ohio State, and Florida. He has been to Florida the most times at three, and he pulled the trigger and committed to Jon Sumrall and the Gators shortly after his visit on Sept. 28.
So, as opposed to someone like 2027 five-star DL DJ Jacobs, who Tennessee has been working to flip from a December Ohio State commitment, Florida hasn’t held a long commitment with Bailey. Tennessee also has a connection to Bailey, with his former high school teammate, Hezekiah Harris, a freshman defensive lineman for the Vols this year.
We’ll find out soon enough if the Vols and Heupel can give Bailey and other impactful recruits something to think about in what’s sure to be a rocking Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
