Tennessee’s trip into the second quarter took a nasty turn on one snap, and the biggest concern of all involved one of the Vols’ most important young players.
On a sequence that started with Alabama punting on fourth-and-one from just shy of midfield, Tennessee got the ball at its own 14-yard line and immediately saw disaster follow. George MacIntyre’s first throw of the possession slipped through the hands of Radarious Jackson and was picked off, handing the Tide strong field position.
The play also left starting left tackle David Sanders Jr. hurting. The sophomore lineman, who is projected as a 2028 NFL Draft pick, was injured on the snap and walked off mostly under his own power before being helped into the injury tent for evaluation.
Alabama cashed in quickly. After a false start on the first play of the drive, quarterback Keelon Russell used a 1st-and-15 look to fake out a blitzing TJ Metcalf and sprinted 19 yards for a touchdown. That cut Tennessee’s lead to 9-7 with 10:13 left before halftime.
When Tennessee came back out on offense, LSU transfer Ory Williams had taken Sanders’ place at left tackle. The rest of the line stayed intact with Nic Moore, Sam Pendleton, Donovan Haslam and Jesse Perry from left to right.
That group has been Tennessee’s answer over the last couple of weeks. The shift came after preseason All-SEC left guard Wendell Moe Jr. suffered a season-ending injury, and offensive guard Sham Umarov has also lost his spot to Haslam and Moore.
Sanders is in his sophomore season with Tennessee after arriving as a five-star recruit out of high school and choosing the Vols over Ohio State. He missed the beginning of his freshman year, but eventually worked his way back and claimed the starting job at right tackle.
With Lance Heard transferring to Kentucky this offseason, Sanders moved over to the left side. The update later in the game was better news for Tennessee: Sanders returned at left tackle to open the second half.
In Other News...
Nick Saban Sees One Real Threat In Alabama's Trip To Neyland
With Alabama headed to Neyland Stadium for a Week 7 meeting with Tennessee, the buildup has already turned to how the Volunteers can make life difficult for the No. 6 Crimson Tide. Nick Saban, weighing in on College GameDay, pointed to Tennessees defense as the part of this matchup that can matter most, along with the Vols willingness to run the ball and try to keep Alabamas offense on the sideline.
For Tennessee, that kind of approach brings the game into the kind of fight it wants. Limiting possessions against an opponent like Alabama is one thing, but doing it while also letting the defense hold up for four quarters is another, and that is where this matchup feels most interesting. The Volunteers defensive play this season could end up being the difference between keeping things tight in Knoxville and letting the Tide dictate the pace. [Read more 🡒]
George MacIntyre Revealed What Meant Most In Tennessees Alabama Win
George MacIntyre got a fresh look at what Tennessees rivalry win over Alabama can mean inside Neyland Stadium, and the freshman quarterback came away talking less about the box score than about the people around him. In his second career start, MacIntyre guided the offense well enough for the Vols to pull off the kind of victory that tends to linger in Knoxville, finishing 21 of 31 for 197 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
After the game, MacIntyre used his time with the media to focus on the teams resilience and the way Tennessee kept answering through the night. He also made a point to single out teammates such as freshman wide receiver TK Keys, a reminder that for a young quarterback in a game like this, the biggest takeaway can be the trust built on the field more than the stat line he leaves behind. [Read more 🡒]
Kalen DeBoer Knows Whats Threatening Alabama In Knoxville
Halftime in Knoxville has been shaped less by big plays than by field goals, and Tennessee has taken advantage of that to build a 12-10 lead over No. 6 Alabama. Cooper Ranvier has supplied all of the Volunteers scoring with four field goals, while Alabama has had to lean on a rushing touchdown from quarterback Keelon Russell just to stay within striking distance.
Kalen DeBoers team has had flashes on defense, especially in forcing Tennessee to settle for kicks instead of touchdowns, but the turnovers tied to Russell have loomed over the first half. For Alabama, the challenge now is clear: clean up the mistakes, find more consistency on offense and avoid letting a tight rivalry game slip further away on the road. [Read more 🡒]