TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — This season’s Alabama offense might not match the record-setting numbers posted by last year’s unit. However, there is one statistic where the current Crimson Tide is equally elite.

Alabama offense entered the weekend ranked third in the nation in third-down conversion percentage. The Tide added to its success in the category Saturday night, converting on 15 of its 20 third-down tries during its 52-24 victory over Tennessee.

Through eight games, Alabama has converted on 69 of its 118 third-down attempts, a 58.47% success rate. Last year, the Tide led the nation, converting on 58.9% of its third-down attempts.

Quarterback Bryce Young was especially dominant Saturday night, playing a part of all but two of Alabama’s third-down conversions on the night. The sophomore quarterback completed 9 of 12 third-down passes for 194 yards and a touchdown while adding five rushing attempts for 41 yards and a pair of scores on the down.

“He was very consistent,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said of Young following the game. “He made some big plays, we made some big plays. We missed a couple of other big plays that we could have made, but I thought his consistency in performance was really, really good. And I thought the way he controlled the game, especially on third down — and we struggled to run the ball effectively which kind of put us in some third-and-not-great-manageable situations, and we converted on those.”

Young was able to deliver the knockout blow in the fourth quarter as he hit receiver Jameson Williams for a 65-yard gain on third-and-15. Brian Robinson Jr. found the end zone on a 15-yard run the following play as Alabama extended its lead to 38-24 with 12:42 to play.

Alabama’s defense also had success on third down, holding Tennessee to a 2 of 13 success rate on the down. That included a game-clinching interception by Jalyn Armour-Davis, who picked off Tennesee quarterback Hendon Hooker in the fourth quarter before returning the ball to the Tennessee 18-yard line to set up another score for the Tide.

“We prepared the way we were supposed to so that when we came into games like this against good opponents, we execute,” linebacker Henry To’o To’o said.

Young entered Saturday’s game tied with Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corrall as the betting favorite for this year’s Heisman Trophy Award. Against Tennessee, the five-star quarterback lived definitely lived up to that billing.

Young completed 31 of 43 passes for 371 yards and two touchdowns without an interception on the night, but what truly stood out was his ability to make plays with his legs. The stat book shows that the dual-threat quarterback had 10 carries for 42 yards and a pair of touchdowns. However, if you take away the two sacks he took on the night, that stat line jumps up to 56 yards on eight carries. Four of those runs led to either touchdowns or first downs as he recorded his first two scores on the ground this season.

Before Saturday’s game, Young’s previous season-high was 18 rushing yards on six carries against Mississippi State.

“He was real shifty coming out of the backfield today,” Robinson said. “He was just showing his scrambling ability, just showing why he was the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in his class. You know, many people questioned his ability to run, and he show that he can run the ball today.”

Young wasn’t the only Alabama player to move the ball on the ground against Tennessee. Robinson recorded his third 100-yard game in four weeks as he ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries.

After holding a reserve role during his first four years with the team, the fifth-year senior has become Alabama’s bell-cow back this season, tallying a combined 498 yards and nine touchdowns on 105 carries over the past four games.

“That’s the main reason why I came back, just to see this opportunity,” Robinson said. “I have an opportunity to just go out there and be a part of the team and to contribute the best way I can. If that takes getting the ball 20 times, 10 times — it don’t matter how many times I get the ball, I just want to contribute to the team the best way I can.”

Appearing in seven games, Robinson leads Alabama with 706 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native has also recorded 17 receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

“B-Rob has been a real consistent performer for us,” Saban said. “I think the more he plays, the better he gets. He’s been a really effective runner. He’s got power, he makes people miss. I think the biggest thing he’s improved on is being a very consistent receiver. He’s catching the ball very well and making plays in the passing game which is one of the things that he needed to improve on, and I think he’s doing a fantastic job of that.”

After a somewhat slow start to the season, John Metchie III is beginning to look like a No. 1 receiver for Alabama. The junior recorded a season-high 11 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns against Tennessee, eclipsing the century mark for the second straight week.

“I think it’s just sticking to the plan, sticking to the script of the game plan,” Metchie said. “The ball is going to find a person, and it’s been finding me. I think it’s just that.”

Over the past three weeks, Metchie has recorded a combined 25 receptions for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Through eight games, he has a team-high 52 receptions resulting in 601 yards and five touchdowns.

After spending his first two seasons on the losing side of the Alabama-Tennessee rivalry, To’o To’o finally got to smoke a victory cigar following the matchup. The Tennessee transfer had a solid game against his old side, recording five tackles, including a pair of stops on third down.

“Playing Tennessee was definitely fun,” To’o To’o said. “A huge rivalry game, being able to see my guys that I played with. It was fun. They were just the next guys on the schedule.”

To’o To’o transferred to Alabama over the summer. Through eight games, the starting Mike linebacker leads the team with 59 tackles and has also recorded three stops for a loss, a sack and a pass breakup.