Nick Saban said Tennessee, which faces Alabama at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on CBS, has progressed this season.

Alabama tight end Miller Forristall (87) during last weekend’s game against Georgia. (Alabama Athletics)

“You look at what a team does down in, down out and how their players play,” he said. “They’re playing with a lot of effort and toughness. They’re very well-coached. They’re in the right spots.

“But,” Saban continued, “I think when you turn the ball over in this game, I don’t care if it’s us, or them or whoever it is, it’s really hard to overcome. I think that’s been their issue. It’s not how they’re capable of playing. It’s not the progress that they’ve made. It’s just taking care of the ball.”

The coach of the No. 2 Crimson Tide (4-0) will face a former defensive coordinator for the second time in as many weeks as Alabama visits Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, to face Jeremy Pruitt and the Volunteers. Last week, Bama knocked off Kirby Smart and then-No. 3 Georgia 41-24, dropping the Bulldogs to No. 4.

Pruitt was asked about Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, who was a scout team QB when Pruitt was with the Tide.

“Compared to four years later, it just shows you over time, when you’re in the same system, you can continue to develop,” the Vols coach said. “He’s really done a nice job doing that. He came in last year and played well and he’s playing at a really high level right now with a lot of confidence.”

Tennessee (2-2) lost last week for the second time this season and fell from the AP Top 25.

Auburn quarterback Bo Nix takes a snap in last week’s game vs. South Carolina. (AU Athletics)

So, too, did Auburn as the then-No. 15 Tigers lost 30-22 at unranked South Carolina. It was the first time the Gamecocks had beaten the Tigers since they joined the Southeastern Conference and their first victory over Auburn since 1933.

“The bottom line is we made the critical mistakes that didn’t let us win the game,” said Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. “That’s what we’ve got to correct and really just getting back to playing good, hard-nosed, blue-collar, physical Auburn football. That’s really my mindset.

Despite the loss, Malzahn said this week his 2-2 team is getting better.

“Right now, our offensive and defensive lines I felt like did improve, but we’ve got to keep going. We’ve got to keep getting better and better up front.”

Malzahn was asked about the Auburn passing game, especially in the aftermath of a heated exchange on the sideline last Saturday between quarterback Bo Nix and receiver Seth Williams.

The coach dismissed the altercation as evidence that both players passionately wanted to win. As for the passing game, and the running game, “you’re playing good teams, (so) you’ve got to be able to do both,” he said. “We’ll continue to strive to get better.”

The Tigers’ next chance at improvement comes at 11 a.m. Saturday when the team visits Ole Miss (1-3). The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

Louisiana at UAB (Friday):  The Blazers (4-1) step outside of Conference USA as they host the leader of the Sun Belt’s West Division at 7 p.m. The Ragin’ Cajuns (3-1) have displayed an effective offense, averaging 28 points a game.

UAB is 4-1 heading into Friday night’s non-conference home game vs. the Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana. (UAB Athletics)

“For us, it kind of falls in the middle of conference play, and every goal we have here is to win the conference championship and win the West to get to the championship,” coach Bill Clark said. “That’s Goal No. 1, but this is a next game, and our home streak (21 straight victories at Legion Field) and all those things are on the line. We want to get prepared to play well.”

Friday’s contest features two of the top five active career leading rushers in the NCAA. UAB’s Spencer Brown ranks second nationally in active career rushing yards with 3,594, while Louisiana’s Trey Ragas is fifth with 3,040. The two teams sport rushing offenses that average 186.8 and 185.5 yards per game, respectively.

Brown and Ragas won’t be the only backs featured on Friday. UAB true freshman DeWayne McBride is coming off a game against WKU (a 37-14 victory) in which he had 10 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. In three games this season, McBride is averaging 12.6 yards per carry and has 226 total yards. Louisiana senior Elijah Mitchell complements Ragas with 2,630 career rushing yards and 37 touchdowns.

Louisiana football will honor its late assistant coach and Birmingham native D.J. Looney during the game Friday by wearing “Looney” across the back of its game jerseys.

Looney, who died Aug. 1 following a heart attack during a team workout, was entering his third season with the Ragin’ Cajuns football program. He worked primarily with the offensive line. He began his playing career in Birmingham as a standout at Oak Mountain High School, where he earned All-State honors in his final two seasons and was rated as the No. 11 center in the nation. He went on to play college football at Mississippi State from 2007 to 2010.

Jacksonville State at Florida International (Friday): The Gamecocks (2-1) will play the last of their four games for fall 2020 in Miami. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. Originally scheduled for Sept. 3, this nonconference matchup will be the first meeting between the Panthers and Gamecocks on the gridiron. Clemson transfer Zerrick Cooper leads JSU at quarterback. The redshirt senior has thrown for 615 yards and a score, while rushing for 89 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Georgia State at Troy: Homecoming for the 3-1 Trojans is at 3 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Louisiana Monroe at South Alabama: ULM leads this series of Sun Belt foes at 4-2, but the Jaguars (2-2) have won two of three in Mobile. USA is looking to start 2-0 in Sun Belt action for the first time since officially beginning play in the league in 2012. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOLS 

Class 7A: In one corner, you have defending state champion Thompson (9-0). In the other corner, you have perennial champion Hoover (9-0). The Warriors are No. 1 in the latest ranking of the Alabama Sports Writers Association and the Bucs are No. 2. Hoover returns to Alabaster, where its playoff run ended last season.

Class 6A: No. 8 McGill-Toolen (6-1) hosts No. 7 Spanish Fort (6-2).

Class 5A: No. 1 Pleasant Grove (7-1) ventures into Birmingham to take on No. 3 Ramsay (8-0) in a Thursday night matchup. The Birmingham Park and Recreation Board on Wednesday approved playing this game in historic Legion Field.

Class 4A: No. 7 Jacksonville (5-3) had two losses via forfeit. The Golden Eagles visit Cherokee County (7-1).

Class 3A: No. 2 Walter Wellborn (8-0) hosts No. 5 Piedmont (7-1).

Class 2A: No. 6 Spring Garden (7-1) travels to Southeastern (6-2).

Class 1A: No. 3 Maplesville (7-1) welcomes Autaugaville (6-2).

AISA: No. 7. Pike Liberal Arts (6-1) ventures to Glenwood (7-0).