Tennessee’s defense was dominant but who knows how good NC State’s offense is. The Vols’ defense was great but Oklahoma’s offense is terrible. Tennessee’s defense stepped up but Arkansas and Florida don’t have the passing attacks to truly threat the Vols’ susceptible secondary.
Enough with the caveats. After Tennessee earned a 24-17 victory against an Alabama team that entered the game with the SEC’s third best offense, the Vols’ defense proved they’re one of the best in the country.
“Defensively, just absolutely an elite performance,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said postgame.
As Tennessee’s offense struggled in the first half again, the Vols’ needed their defense to step up in a big way in the first half and they delivered holding Alabama to seven points in the game’s first 30 minutes.
Alabama punted on four of seven first half drives but when they got into scoring range, Tennessee’s red zone defense answered the bell as they have throughout SEC play. With Alabama on the fringe of field goal range, the Vols defense forced a fourth-and-long and a missed 54-yard field goal.
The bigger play came in the first quarter with Alabama facing second-and-goal at the three-yard line when Jermod McCoy intercepted Jalen Milroe and returned it 54 yards. The Oregon State transfer McCoy has been a revelation for Tennessee’s defense and he keeps making game changing plays.
“Huge play in the game,” Heupel said. “Changes the way the game’s played from there on out just because of the score and offensively got to go do something with that. But again, third down defense, red zone defense— special, special performance.”
Milroe has played like one of the nation’s best quarterbacks for large portions of the season but he struggled against Tennessee’s defense. And while the Vols did sack him three times, Tennessee’s defensive line didn’t just control the game either.
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The veteran quarterback had time to throw throughout the game and while he missed some throws, Tennessee’s secondary was stellar. The caveat for Tennessee’s defense was that they hadn’t faced a passing attack that could test its young secondary. That young secondary answered the bell against Alabama.
“Jermod, Rickey (Gibson), Jalen (McMurray) when he’s in, it changes what you’re able to structurally do defensively,” Heupel said of the secondary resurgence. “Changes the game for the coordinator. Gives you the ability to open up your playbook.”
And while Tennessee’s pass rush didn’t overwhelm Alabama, they took away the best part of the Crimson Tide’s offense— Milroe’s legs. The dual-threat quarterback ran for just 11 yards on 14 carries as the Vols’ never let the dynamic athlete get loose.
Alabama’s backs had little success getting going either. Tennessee held the Crimson Tide to 75 yards on the ground and out rushed them by 139 yards.
“They’re a physical defense up front,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “We knew we had to have a mix of run and pass and try to use J-Mill in the run game, as well.”
As good as Tennessee’s defense was in the first half, they closed the game even better. The Crimson Tide combined for 10 points on their first three drives of the second half. Entering their fourth drive, Alabama led 17-14.
Then on its final four drives, Alabama failed to get a single first down. The Crimson Tide went three-and-out twice, four-and-out once and then Vestavia Hills, Alabama native Will Brooks made a game sealing interception on the final play of the final drive.
“That’ll be a moment in his life, I’m sure he’ll tell that story to all his grandkids and great grandkids and anybody would be able to listen to it as he continues to grow older,” Heupel said. “But a special, special player but really just a special young guy.”
Despite its offense waking up in the second half, Tennessee needed every bit of its defense’s dominant performance to earn its second win over Alabama in three tries. Enough with the caveats, Tennessee’s defense is simply elite.
