HOW THEY SCORED
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Staff writer David Paschall examines the scoring drives from Alabama’s 45-7 win over Tennessee on Saturday:
FIRST QUARTER
ALA — Bo Scarbrough 1-yard run (Andy Pappanastos kick), 8:21 Drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 5:35 Key play: The Crimson Tide faced third-and-6 at Tennessee’s 48 on their opening possession and converted when Jalen Hurts threw to a leaping Calvin Ridley for a 9-yard gain to the 39.
ALABAMA 7, TENNESSEE 0
SECOND QUARTER
ALA — Scarbrough 1-yard run (Pappanastos kick), 4:48
Drive: 15 plays, 85 yards, 4:35 Key play: Scarbrough’s second 1-yard touchdown on a fourth-andgoal followed one of the wackiest plays of this Southeastern Conference season. At Tennessee’s 36, Hurts threw down the middle to tight end Irv Smith, who raced down to the 2 before the ball was punched out by cornerback Shawn Shamburger and through the back of the end one for an apparent touchback. Volunteers defensive end Jonathan Kongbo was flagged for illegal hands to the face, however, and officials took the ball to the Tennessee 2 before marking off half the distance to the goal.
ALABAMA 14, TENNESSEE 0
ALA — Damien Harris 11-yard run (Pappanastos kick), 1:18
Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 2:01
Key play: After a 3-yard Josh Jacobs carry opened the possession, Hurts threw up the right sideline to Ridley for 26 yards to the Tennessee 48.
ALABAMA 21, TENNESSEE 0
THIRD QUARTER
ALA — Smith 14-yard pass from Hurts (Pappanastos kick), 12:39 Drive: 8 plays, 76 yards, 2:21
Key play: Hurts got the Crimson Tide off to a quick start in the second half with a 15-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy out to Alabama’s 39.
ALABAMA 28, TENNESSEE 0
TN — Daniel Bituli 97-yard interception return (Brent Cimaglia kick), 6:03
Key play: Alabama inserted backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa five minutes into the third quarter, and Tagovailoa had a 17-yard run and an 11-yard pass to Ridley that took the Crimson Tide to Tennessee’s 6. Tagovailoa then had a pass tipped and snagged by Bituli, who rambled down the left sideline for a score that halted Tennessee’s streak of quarters without a touchdown at 14.
ALABAMA 28, TENNESSEE 7
ALA — Pappanastos 25-yard field goal, 3:13
Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 2:50
Key play: Tagovailoa had a 15-yard pass to tight end Hale Hentges and a 14-yard connection with Jeudy to bounce back from the pick-six on the prior possession.
ALABAMA 31, TENNESSEE 7
FOURTH QUARTER
ALA — Tagovailoa 23-yard run (Pappanastos kick), 12:59
Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 2:23
Key play: Najee Harris had an 18-yard run on the drive, but the highlight play was a 14-yard reception by Cam Sims at the Tennessee 36 in which he managed to keep both feet in bounds while leaning for the catch.
ALABAMA 38, TENNESSEE 7
ALA — Henry Ruggs III 60-yard pass from Tagovailoa (Pappanastos kick), 4:49
Drive: 5 plays, 77 yards, 2:34
Key play: After the Crimson Tide stopped the Vols with a Mack Wilson interception at Alabama’s 2, Brian Robinson Jr. had runs of 9 and 13 yards to help set up the Tide’s longest score of the afternoon.
ALABAMA 45, TENNESSEE 7