Hmmm
U of Alabama and UTK are both R1 schools.
For many Tennesseans, Alabama is less expensive than Tennessee.
Tennessee also had a great football team and a similar reputation.
And career stats are near identical.
So I wholly disagree with this.
If the OP can get into the McCullough Scholars at Bama, it’s a win.
But the schools are entirely substitutional in so many aspects.