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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Eight wins, all by knockout. Alabama continued to play out its role as college football’s heavyweight champ Saturday, making easy work of rival Tennessee in a 58-21 beatdown inside of Neyland Stadium.
Alabama scored touchdowns on each of its first four drives piling up 217 yards in the process. Through the same amount of possessions, Tennessee managed a measly 6 yards, a number that could have been worse if not for an offsides penalty which extended the Volunteers fourth drive. Saturday’s victory was Alabama’s 12th straight over Tennessee. The 58 points are the most Alabama has ever scored against the Volunteers.
Alabama continued its perfect streak of scoring on opening drives as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the Crimson Tide 58 yards on nine plays capped off by an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy. Tennessee gave up the ball on its ensuing possession as Alabama safety Xavier McKinney sacked Volunteers quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, forcing a fumble which linebacker Christian Miller scooped up at the Tennessee 3-yard line. Two plays later, Josh Jacobs rumbled into the end zone to give the Crimson Tide a two-touchdown lead with 10:43 remaining in the quarter.
Following a Tennessee punt, Tagovailoa dropped in a perfectly-placed pass to Jaylen Waddle for a 77-yard touchdown. The 11-second scoring drive was Alabama’s 20th of less than a minute this season. Damien Harris added a 3-yard touchdown run on Alabama’s next possession to extend the Crimson Tide’s lead 28-0 before the start of the second quarter.
Tennessee punched back as backup quarterback Keller Chryst threw two touchdown passes after coming in for Guarantano. However, a 9-yard touchdown from Tagovailoa to tight end Irv Smith Jr. with 15 seconds remaining in the half served as the knockout blow, igniting a mass exodus of orange toward the Neyland Stadium aisles.
Wearing a brace on his right knee, Tagovailoa completed 19 of 29 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns. The sophomore was slow to get up after completing a 41-yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III in the third quarter to give Alabama a 51-14 lead. Tagovailoa eventually returned to his feet and jogged off the field. He did not return to the game.
Waddle recorded the second 100-yard receiving game of his career, catching four passes for 117 yards. Jeudy’s opening touchdown was his 10th of the season, bringing him within six of Alabama’s single-season record set by Amari Cooper in 2014.
Making his first start of the season, Jacobs led the Crimson Tide in rushing with 68 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. The two scores give the junior back a team-high eight on the season. Deonte Brown also made his first start of the season, filling in for Lester Cotton at left guard. The redshirt sophomore helped clear the way for 545 total yards of offense while allowing Alabama backs to average 5.2 yards per carry on the ground.
Defensive end LaBryan Ray made his first career start, filling in for Raekwon Davis who sat out the first half after being punching a Missouri player on the field last week. Ray tallied five stops, including one for a loss. Alabama limited Tennessee to 258 total yards, including just 31 on the ground.
Alabama will have an open week next week before traveling to LSU on Nov. 3. LSU will also have an open week heading into the matchup.
