BCS, NCAA Football, Tennessee Volunteers Football NEWS
Volunteers No Match For Crimson Tide
Published by MoonDog on October 25, 2008
Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban and Tennessee Vols Head Coach Phil Fulmer
The Tennessee Volunteers were hoping to somehow salvage a dreadful season by knocking off rival Alabama Saturday night in Knoxville.
The No. 2 Crimson Tide had little trouble limiting the Vols’ struggling offense as they easily defeated Tennessee 29-9 before 106,138 at Neyland Stadium.
Alabama was able to capitalize on the Vols’ mistakes, poor coaching decisions and the continued inconsistency of Daniel Lincoln to improve to 8-0 and kept alive their SEC and BCS championship aspirations.
The win gives the Crimson Tide its first back-to-back wins over the Volunteers (3-5, 1-4) since the 1991-92 seasons.
Alabama held Tennessee to 173 yards, their worst output of the season. The Vols could only muster 36 yards on the ground against the Tide defense, as they were unable to put together drives and reverted back to the inept offense which has plagued them the entire season.
Tennessee went three-and-out seven times in 11 drives and missed two field goal tries, one a 51-yard attempt that coach Phil Fulmer should not have opted for.
Tennessee failed to take advantage of several first half opportunities that could have put the Vols in the lead.
Alabama RB Glen Coffee is Tackled by Tennessee
Dennis Rogan recovered Javier Arenas’ fumbled punt return at the Alabama 5, but on the first play from scrimmage the Vols were called for a false start, pushing them back five yards.
The Vols lost another four yards on the next two plays and had to settle for Lincoln’s 31-yard field goal to tie the game at 3 with 6:28 in the first quarter.
The Vols had another chance late in the first half, reaching the Tide 14. But back-to-back penalties for illegal formation and a questionable pass interference call pushed the Vols back 20 yards, and Lincoln missed a 43-yard field goal attempt to close the half.
“I felt like we had every chance in the world coming into the second half the way our defense was playing. We stopped ourselves like we have in past weeks,” Vols quarterback Nick Stephens said.
Tennessee’s defense played admirably but eventually wore down in the second half. Alabama held the ball for 35:32 and utilized their running game to run the clock and methodically move the ball down the field.
The Tide used a balanced attack with John Parker Wilson passing for 188 yards while Glen Coffee and Roy Upchurch combined for 164 yards rushing. Upchurch ran for 35 yards in a 79-yard drive in the third quarter to put Alabama up 22-3 with 1:38 remaining.
Tennessee WR Josh Briscoe Scores the Vols only Touchdown Against Alabama
Following another Tennessee three and out, Alabama drove 80 yards in 8 plays with Upchurch scoring on a 4-yard run to make it 29-3 with 9:43 left in the game.
Two Alabama pass interference penalties kept Tennessee’s only touchdown drive alive in the fourth quarter. Stephens connected with Josh Briscoe on a 10-yard pass to make it 29-9 with 7:26 left, well after the game was out of reach.
Stephens finished 16-of-28 for 137 yards.
“It’s just a special rivalry and a special game to all of us involved in it in different ways. I’ll be back up tomorrow. I’m not down. I just got a lot on my mind right now,” Fulmer said.
What Fulmer may have on his mind is whether he’ll have a job after this season. A lopsided loss to a bitter rival will only increase the pressure on him as disgruntled Vols fans have increasingly called for his firing.
Tennessee is just 6-14 against ranked teams over the last four years and a miserable 1-9 at home against the Top 10 this decade.
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- Volunteers Give It Away In Loss To Alabama
- Moral Victories Have To Become Actual Victories For Volunteers
- Mississippi State Turnovers Help Vols Get Win
- Stephens To Start For Vols vs NIU
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GoPurple on Sun, 26th Oct 2008 06:44
Good on ‘Bama to beat the teams they are supposed to. And before the homers start touting that great SEC defense, remember that it is easy for a defense to look good against offenses that would have trouble scoring in a women’s prison with two handfuls of pardons. And yes Vols, that is you.
Speaking of SEC defenses, what is up with what we were told is one of the best defensive units in the country (LSU) getting 50 hung on them TWICE now this season? Consider that Georgia and Florida wouldn’t even rank among the top five of Big 12 offenses…
Sunday Night Links | SECRivals.com on Sun, 26th Oct 2008 21:58
[...] Moondog Sports: The Tennessee Volunteers were hoping to somehow salvage a dreadful season by knocking off rival Alabama Saturday night in Knoxville. [...]