Five things we learned about Vols’ loss to ’Bama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Jarrett Guarantano had nowhere to go on a quarterback sneak, so he went to the air for answers. He found none.
Alabama linebacker Shane Lee hit Guarantano and jarred the ball loose. Trevon Diggs recovered the fumble and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown to salt away the Crimson Tide’s 35-13 victory Saturday over Tennessee at Bryant-denny Stadium.
Guarantano received a tongue-lashing from coach Jeremy Pruitt after he came to the sideline to culminate a deflating moment for the Vols.
Had Guarantano scored on the fourthdown play, the Vols would have trailed the nation’s No. 1 team by a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
Instead, the Crimson Tide celebrated by blaring “Dixieland Delight” for the delighted crowd.
Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC) has won 13 straight in the rivalry series. Tennessee (2-5, 1-3) at least was more competitive than its previous three losses to Alabama.
Each team lost its starting quarterback during the first half due to injury.
Here are five things we learned.
Brian Maurer plays, but injured again
Tennessee quarterback Brian Maurer received the start after exiting last week’s game with a concussion, only to suffer another concussion. He departed in first quarter with the Vols trailing 14-7.
Lee blasted Maurer after he completed a pass, and Maurer landed hard against right tackle Darnell Wright, with the back of his helmet whacking against Wright’s leg. The injury ended an encouraging night from the freshman quarterback. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 62 yards and scored on a 2-yard quarterback sneak. His stats will show he threw an interception, but it was hardly his fault. Jauan Jennings dropped what should have been a catch, and Jared Mayden intercepted the ricochet.
Guarantano completed 7 of 16 passes in relief of Maurer.
Tua Tagovailoa exits, too
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa appeared to injure his ankle when he was sacked by Greg Emerson in the second quarter. He exited and did not return.
Tagovailoa completed 11 of 12 passes for 155 yards. But he was intercepted by Nigel Warrior in the first quarter when he forced a pass he should have thrown away. It nixed a red zone opportunity, and Warrior’s return set up Tennessee with a short field for a touchdown.
Backup Mac Jones completed 6 of 11 passes.
Red zone failures
The Vols twice had a first-and-goal situations from inside the 10-yard line before getting foiled by penalties and settling for field goals on each occasion. On one play, Tennessee was flagged for three different infractions. Nothing could top the red zone flop that was Guarantano’s fumble that became a 14-point swing. The Vols failed to score despite having first-andgoal from the 2.
Penalty fest
Tennessee collected 13 penalties, and Alabama chipped in eight. Vols linebacker Daniel Bituli was ejected in the second quarter for targeting. Because the ejection occurred in the first half, he’ll be clear to play the full game next week against South Carolina. Alabama extended one drive that ended in a touchdown thanks to a personal foul on Darrell Taylor.
Taylor hit Jones on a pass play and gave him a light push as he got up. That earned him what seemed like an overzealous flag.
Call it a moral victory?
That Tennessee was more competitive than many expected – the Vols were a 34.5-point underdog – is an encouraging sign that UT can finish strong throughout what looks like a manageable five-game stretch to conclude the regular season.
Alabama’s 35 points marked a season low for a team that entered the game averaging 51 points.