College Football

Bryce Young warming up shoulder ahead of Alabama's game at Tennessee

Updated Oct. 15, 2022 3:31 p.m. ET

The No. 2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will face their toughest test of the season on Saturday in a much-anticipated road matchup against No. 6 Tennessee.

All eyes will be on star quarterback Bryce Young, who missed the entirety of Alabama's 24-20 win over Texas A&M last weekend with a sprained shoulder.

Amid reports that Young will play this afternoon, the defending Heisman Trophy winner has been spotted warming up on the field at Neyland Stadium.

Young suffered an AC joint sprain in the second quarter of Alabama's victory over Arkansas on Oct. 1. He eventually returned to the sideline, but did not re-enter the game as backup Jalen Milroe led the Crimson Tide to a 49-26 victory in Fayetteville. Young suited up ahead of the team's game against Texas A&M, but he watched from the sidelines as Milroe got the start at quarterback.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been publicly optimistic this week that Young will return to play, saying that the quarterback is "making progress" and his shoulder is "not nearly as sore" as it was last week:

Young has completed 90 of 134 passes for 1,202 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions so far this season. It now appears as though he will return to give Alabama its best chance to hand Tennessee its first loss of the season.