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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee believes it has regained its status as one of the Southeastern Conferences top programs.An opportunity for the Volunteers to prove that comes Saturday.No. 1 Alabama (6-0, 3-0) puts an 18-game winning streak on the line when it heads to Neyland Stadium to face the ninth-ranked Vols (5-1, 2-1). Tennessee is seeking to end a nine-game losing streak in this annual series and a 12-game skid against all SEC Western Division programs.In the previous years, we didnt really know how wed do against the premier SEC teams, but now we see ourselves as one of the premier SEC teams, Tennessee safety Todd Kelly Jr. said. With that being said, we know we can play with anybody.Tennessees most recent meeting with Alabama gives the Vols cause for confidence.The Vols led in the fourth quarter at Tuscaloosa last season before falling 19-14 to the eventual national champions. Only one of Alabamas previous eight victories over Tennessee in this nine-game streak had been decided by fewer than 14 points.The skill players that they have make them very difficult to defend, and I think they have gotten better each year on defense, Alabama coach Nick Saban said. Certainly their defense has played a lot better this year and has been very, very difficult to defend. This is a very, very good team, for sure a top-10 team in the country, and its going to be a very challenging game for us.This marks Tennessees fourth straight game against a ranked foe. Tennessee also is dealing with multiple injuries, including the losses of defensive captains Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cam Sutton.That helps explain why Alabama enters this game as a 13-point favorite.Vols coach Butch Jones calls this the best Alabama squad he has faced in his four-year tenure, but he also says this is his most confident Tennessee team.They dont care who the opponent is, Jones said. They feel like were the University of Tennessee. Do we have great respect for our opponents? Absolutely. Do our players understand whats at store on Saturday? Absolutely.This is a monumental challenge, again, with the No. 1 team in the country. All you have to do is watch (Alabamas) video... and they get instant respect, which they deserve. But its something that weve talked about in our program since weve come here. Why not Tennessee?---Here are some things to watch Saturday when Tennessee hosts Alabama.BAMA ON THE ROAD: Alabamas first two SEC road games had the common denominator of inconsistency. The Tide fell way behind in a 48-43 victory at Mississippi and jumped out far ahead of Arkansas before letting off the gas some in the second half of a 49-30 triumph . Weve played very well at times both the road games that weve had in the SEC, Saban said. And then weve had some not so good times in those same games. I think the big thing is you cant relax when youre on the road.TENNESSEES TURNOVER TROUBLE: Tennessee has fumbled 21 times this season, the most of any Football Bowl Subdivision program. The Vols have lost eight of those fumbles and have a total of 16 turnovers. Kansas, Duke and Bowling Green are the only FBS teams that have committed more turnovers. Tennessee must protect the football against Alabama, which has scored an FBS-leading seven defensive touchdowns .VOLS BACKFIELD: Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd is expected to play Saturday after missing a double-overtime 45-38 loss at Texas A&M last week due to an unspecified injury. The Vols must figure out how to divide carries between Hurd and Alvin Kamara, who had a school-record 312 all-purpose yards last week.INTRIGUING MATCHUP: Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson is expected to spend much of the day blocking Tennessees Derek Barnett, who has five sacks over his last three games. Both players are considered potential first-round draft picks.ANOTHER SLOW START? Tennessee has been outscored 62-17 in the first quarter and has trailed by double digits in five of its first six games. The Vols came all the way back in each of those games -- they lost to Texas A&M in overtime after erasing a 28-7 deficit -- but they likely cant afford to fall too far behind against a team as strong as Alabama.---AP Sports Writer John Zenor in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, contributed to this report.---Online:The APs college football page: http://collegfootball.ap.org Cheap Lakers Jerseys . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Los Angeles Lakers Gear .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/ . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Lakers Jerseys China . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Lakers Jerseys 2020 . PETERSBURG, Fla.NEW YORK -- The rookie pitcher who got the biggest outs for the Mets on Saturday was not the one with all the hype. Gonzalez Germen came in from the bullpen to bail out Zack Wheeler and help New York hold on for a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Marlon Byrd, David Wright and Daniel Murphy each had an RBI single for the Mets, who handed Cole Hamels his latest defeat and snapped Philadelphias seven-game winning streak at Citi Field. Another rookie, Juan Lagares, had a run-scoring single among his three hits. Germen (1-1) escaped a bases-loaded jam and struck out three in 1 2-3 hitless innings for his first major league win. "He did an amazing job," Byrd said. "That could be a scary lineup to face when youre a young kid." Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff homer, and Chase Utley had a two-run shot in the ninth for the Phillies. They put the potential tying run on second before Bobby Parnell retired Darin Ruf on a game-ending liner to second. The series finale Sunday features a marquee matchup of All-Star pitchers: Mets ace Matt Harvey against lefty Cliff Lee. Wheeler wiggled out of early trouble in his sixth major league start, but the prized right-hander needed 106 pitches to get through 4 2-3 innings in 93-degree heat. "I just told him to hang in there. I just said, Look, you can only do it as best you can for as long as you can," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "You could just tell he was out of gas. Yeah, I could have let him go one more hitter, but were trying to win games, too." Hamels (4-12) allowed three runs in a 35-pitch first inning and was pulled for a pinch-hitter after five. The three-time All-Star and 2008 World Series MVP leads the NL in losses. Hamels has always had trouble with the Mets. The left-hander, who was 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in three previous July starts, dropped to 6-12 in 24 outings against them. Coming off a gem in San Francisco but pitching for the first time in 10 days, Wheeler gave up a two-strike single to Hamels to start the fifth. The Phillies loaded the bases with nobody out, but all they managed was Utleys sacrifice fly. All-Star slugger Domonic Brown flied out on a 3-0 pitch. Wheeler walked Ruf to load the bases again -- and was lifted one out short of qualifying for a win. Wheeler kept his back to Collins as the manager marched to the mound, then handed over the ball and disappeared down the dugout runway. Collins followed moments later, and Wheeler was back on the bench to greet Germen with a high-five after he struck out streaking Delmon Young to preserve a 3-2 lead. "Right now, the kids doing his job," Young said.dddddddddddd "Hes been pitching in big situations." Collins said he didnt want Wheeler to be trailing when he came out. In his only other outing at home, the 23-year-old was beaten by Washington 13-2. "That was definitely tough. I wanted to get through that inning," Wheeler said. "Not just for the win, but just to get out of that jam so we didnt have to use the bullpen earlier than we had to. "My pitch count was high, and I guess Terry thought that was the right time to take me out. It worked out for us." Wright hit a run-scoring single in the fifth, and Murphy added his RBI single in the seventh. LaTroy Hawkins worked the eighth, and Parnell got three outs for his 18th save despite allowing Utleys second homer in two days. It was the first home run given up by Parnell since Aug. 4, 2012, at San Diego. Still struggling to command his lively pitches and get ahead, Wheeler has however shown the ability to bear down in a jam. He held Philadelphia hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position, leaving opponents 4 for 32 (.125) in those situations during his brief big league career. "I really concentrate. I really pride myself, if guys are in scoring position, that theyre not going to score," Wheeler said. Rollins drove Wheelers third pitch to right for his 45th career leadoff homer, breaking a tie with Brady Anderson for fourth place in major league history. It was Rollins first home run in 162 at-bats since May 31. He has a 16-game hitting streak against the Mets. New York came right back in the bottom of the first with the help of two walks by Hamels, who issued one free pass over 23 innings in his previous three starts combined. Byrd lined a run-scoring single, Lagares fisted an RBI single into shallow right, and Anthony Recker knocked in another by beating out a double-play ball after third baseman Michael Young double-clutched. "You cant always go out with your best stuff, but you have to make the adjustments," said Hamels, who struggled to grip the ball properly with sweat pouring down his hand. "I wasnt able to make the adjustments as quickly as I would have liked in that first inning." NOTES: Rollins other leadoff homer this season came on May 10 in Arizona. ... Delmon Young had three hits for the second straight day. ... With the Mets facing a left-hander, Josh Satin started at 1B instead of Ike Davis. Satin made a two-out error in the ninth that nearly became costly. ... Harvey is 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA in four career starts against Philadelphia. Lee is 5-1 with a 2.09 ERA in nine games against the Mets. ' ' '