15 straight over the Vols: Alabama tops Tennessee 52-24
Exhale, Tide fans. The Tide give Alabama fans a scare before turning on the jets in the fourth quarter.
By: Dave in Tuscaloosa
Jordan Battle teaches the boys and the cheerleaders how to smoke a cigar. (Photo: Dee Sports Guy)
For three quarters, Tide and Vols fans were reminded of the days of the series of old. Traditionally, The Third Saturday in October marked exciting games that usually went down to the wire. Yet, since Alabama coach Nick Saban took over in Tuscaloosa in 2007, lopsided scores and Bama dominance has reigned, much to the agony of fans of the big Orange. Entering the 4th quarter, Alabama held on to a slim 24-17 lead...the momentum seemed to be on Tennessee's side...Saban and company appeared frustrated...Bryce Young actually seemed slightly rattled...could this be the evening where first-year Vols coach Josh Heupel would deliver on the breakthrough win over the Tide that Vols fans have been dying for?
And then the fourth quarter started.
Behind a monster 28 point final stanza, the Tide pulled away from a feisty Volunteer squad and rolled to its 15th straight win in the storied series, 52-24. The contest was far closer than the final score indicated, as Tennessee took advantage of coverage busts and mental errors by the Tide to give its fans hope that a long-awaited victory over Alabama was possible. Bama also coughed it up in the red zone in the second quarter and the special teams had a tough day. The Tide had a roughing the kicker call in the 2nd quarter that led to a Vol touchdown, Tennessee blocked a 3rd quarter punt that resulted in a field goal, and Bama placekicker Will Reichard missed his second field goal of the season, although it was from 54 yards out. Despite the sloppy play, the script turned familiar with yet another Alabama victory.
Bama quarterback Bryce Young passed for 371 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he also ran for the first two scores of his college career. Outside of a shaky third quarter where for the first time this season the sophomore quarterback appeared rattled, Young did a nice job and finished the game strong. Receiver Jamison Williams led the way with 6 receptions for 123 yards, none bigger than a 65-yard catch in the 4th quarter on a 3rd and 15 and Bama clinging to a slim 31-24 lead. One play later, Brian Robinson Jr. would punch it in from 15 yards out for one of his three rushing scores to extend the lead to 38-24, and Bama would not look back. Not to be overshadowed was receiver John Metchie III, who had 11 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson was again effective on the ground, gaining 107 yards on 26 carries. A key to the win was Alabama’s third-down production, as they converted on 15 of 20 attempts, including seven that were 3rd and 7 yards or more. In addition, the Tide offense slugged out 32 first downs to the Vols 10, and dominated time of possession by a count of 40:36 to Tennessee’s 19:34.
Defensively, the Tide continue to be a hot and cold unit. Concerns remain about the Bama secondary, whose three missed assignments resulted in 21 points for the Vols. With huge challenges still ahead, this is a unit that needs to make strides. However, led by Will Anderson, Henry To’o To’o, and Phidarian Mathis, the Tide front seven is solid and held the vaunted Tennessee ground game, which entered Saturday night as the 6th best rushing attack in the nation averaging 249 yards per game to a season-low 64 yards, and at one point during the second and third quarters, Bama forced the up tempo Vol offense into six straight three and outs. Furthermore, Tennessee was flagged 12 times for 98 yards.
After holding the Vols to an initial three and out, Bama took its first possession 85 yards on 12 plays that culminated in an 8 yard Robinson touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Thanks to the Bama secondary being out of position and a roughing the kicker penalty, quarterback Hendon Hooker (who would end the night going 19-28 for 282 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception) and the Vols would lead 14-7 after the first quarter. Bama would respond with a solid second quarter, outscoring Tennessee 14-0 on the shoulders of a 5-yard Young touchdown run and a beautiful 6 yard pass from Young to John Metchie that sent the Tide into the locker room with a 21-14 lead.
The third quarter opened with both teams exchanging punts before Tennessee blocked a Tide punt and sat pretty on Alabama’s 16-yard line and a chance to knot the score at 21. But the Vols could only gain a yard and settled for a Chase McGrath 32 yard field goal to cut the lead to 21-17. Bama’s next drive would stall on the Vol 28 yard line and the Tide would settle for a Will Reichard 45-yard field goal to stretch the Bama lead back to 7. After another Tennessee punt, the Tide would drive 80 yards on 11 plays that ended with a 6-yard Young touchdown run. Two plays later, Hooker hit wideout Cedric Tillman for a 70-yard touchdown that trimmed the Bama lead to 31-24 with 14:30 left to play in the contest. Alabama would dominate the final 14 minutes, scoring three more touchdowns (2 Robinson runs and a Young to Metchie 19 yard strike) with one of them being set up by a Jaylyn Armour-Davis interception to push the final score to 52-24.
As the clock wound down and the result no longer in question, the Bryant-Denny faithful kickstarted a tradition that has been passed down through the ages. The winning team in the series light up victory cigars to celebrate the win, and as the clock approached 0:00, a hazy mist of cigar smoke enveloped the stadium named after Alabama’s legendary coach and one of its most impactful presidents. In addition, one has to think that the cigar smoke was accompanied by huge sighs of relief from Bama nation, as Tennessee was impressive and had a chance to snap the long losing streak to the Tide. Coach Heupel is doing a terrific job of returning excitement and hope to Vol Nation, and even with a depleted roster, Tennessee looks like a new team with purpose. Look out for the Vols in the years to come.
Meanwhile, Bama enters into their bye week needing to clean things up, especially in the secondary and they need some well-earned rest. Coming off of the off week await home games against LSU, New Mexico State, and Sam Pittman’s Arkansas Razorbacks before hitting the road against a dangerous Auburn Tigers squad. Alabama will be heavy favorites in each game, and if the Tide can survive, Kirby Smart and the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs await in Atlanta for the SEC championship. However, as the first three quarters against Tennessee showed, Bama has a long way to go before dreams of another SEC Championship can become a reality.