Alabama Football: 3 takeaways from blowout win over Tennessee
By Zach Bigalke
1. The Alabama defense dominated yet again in another blowout win
It probably wouldn’t matter who Tennessee put on the field when it had the ball. Freshman quarterback Jarrett Guarantano struggled against the Crimson Tide, but it wasn’t as though Quinten Dormady would have fared much better for the Volunteers. Alabama’s defense has been crushing SEC opponents left and right this year.
Saturday’s showdown with the Vols at home proved no different from other conference matchups this year. Alabama held Tennessee to 108 total yards of offense all day long. Guarantano finished the day with 44 yards and an interception on 9-of-16 passing, as the coaches called a conservative game plan.
Relying heavily on its running game backfired for Tennessee. The Vols backfield averaged 2.1 yards per carry, with John Kelly getting 63 of Tennessee’s 64 net rushing yards. Alabama dominated the line of scrimmage, and added another two turnovers to their season total.
The inability to get the shutout also can’t be pinned on the defense. After all, it was Tua Tagovailoa‘s pick-six that put Tennessee on the board. Other than that fortuitous play, Tennessee could do next to nothing against the Crimson Tide. Once again, the Tide proved that their lockdown defense is at a championship level in 2017.