Alabama heads into the second half in Knoxville with a 12-10 deficit, and the path back is pretty clear: clean up the mistakes, get the ground game going, and make Tennessee earn every point it gets.
The biggest issue has been self-inflicted damage. Alabama has already turned it over three times, with one interception and two fumbles.
Those giveaways have put the Crimson Tide in a hole, even though Tennessee has not consistently finished drives with touchdowns. Daniel Hill’s ball security is back under the microscope after he coughed it up inside the red zone.
It also isn’t a one-off problem this season; Hill fumbled twice at Mississippi State and lost one of them.
The offense also needs more balance. Alabama opened with three straight passes and did not give a running back a carry on its second drive.
That approach has left the Crimson Tide with 53 rushing yards at halftime, while the passing game has stalled at 40 yards. EJ Crowell had one carry for a yard before heading back to the locker room in the second quarter, and with Alabama deep at running back, there’s little reason to keep the run game in the background unless the staff believes the line simply can’t move Tennessee.
Protection up front is another major concern. Keelon Russell has already been sacked twice and lost a fumble.
He also threw an interception that was well off target. The fumble came when an Alabama lineman collided with him, but the turnover problem and the pressure around him have made for a rough half.
Russell has looked like a first-year starter under fire, and Alabama will need him to settle in while his offensive line faces even more strain after the break.
Defensively, Alabama has at least shown it can tighten up near the goal line. Tennessee opened with a strong drive, but after giving up some explosive plays, the Crimson Tide managed to force a field goal. Since then, Tennessee has repeatedly benefited from short fields because of turnovers, yet the Volunteers have still had trouble punching it into the end zone.
That hasn’t kept Cooper Ranvier from doing damage. He has made all four of his field goals, and Tennessee’s four conversions have been enough to put it ahead 12-10 at halftime.
In Other News...
Tennessee's Celebration Just Added Another Twist To This Alabama Rivalry
Tennessees latest win over Alabama already carried the usual rivalry weight, and now it has come with an SEC penalty attached. The league fined the Volunteers $500,000 after fans rushed the field following the victory, a scene that has become familiar in college football but still runs afoul of conference policy when it crosses the line into the competition area.
For Alabama, the detail that stands out is where that money is headed. The fine will be paid to the Crimson Tide, while Tennessee does have a path to argue for a reduction if it can show it took steps to prevent the breach or that contact was minimal. The SEC also leaves room for schools to stage on-field celebrations, but only if they submit procedures in advance and get them approved, which gives this rivalry another layer of paperwork to go with the emotion. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Brutal Truth After Tennessee Exposed This Weakness
Alabamas trip to Tennessee turned into a blunt reminder of where things stand after a 26-10 loss that sent the Crimson Tide into consecutive regular-season defeats for the first time since 2007. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy pointed to the line of scrimmage as the defining issue, with Tennessee dictating play and Alabama unable to match the Volunteers physical edge.
The offensive problems only made the night harder to absorb, as turnovers and an ineffective rushing attack left Alabama searching for answers. Tennessees strong ground game helped control the flow throughout, and now the Tide head into an important rebound spot against Texas A&M with pressure to respond quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Bigger Question Than Just The Tennessee Loss
Alabamas 26-10 loss to Tennessee would have been enough to force a reset on its own, but the bigger issue coming out of the weekend is the injury list that kept the Crimson Tide from looking like itself. Head coach Kalen DeBoer spent time afterward updating the status of Zabien Brown, EJ Crowell, Ryan Coleman-Williams, Racin Delgatty and Terrance Green, a reminder that the season is being shaped not just by results, but by who is available to take the field.
The encouraging part for Alabama is that the group is being handled on a week-to-week basis, with some players expected back at practice soon. Still, until those bodies return and the Tide can see how quickly they regain rhythm, the conversation around the program is going to be about depth, availability and whether the roster can stabilize fast enough to keep the loss from turning into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]