KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 6 Alabama football fell to No. 14 Tennessee 26-10 on Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium.
After dropping the Georgia game last week, this is the first time since 2013 that the Crimson Tide has lost consecutive games. UA unintentionally accomplished this feat against Auburn and then Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl of that year. It's also the first time since 2007 — Nick Saban's first year — that Alabama has lost back-to-back regular-season games.
Alabama was the only team in the country in the past few years to score 45-plus points in each of its first five games, but after scoring 17 against Georgia — UA's fewest at home since 2011 — it failed to reach 20 once again on Saturday.
Survived is fair word to describe Kalen DeBoer and Alabama's performance in the first half. The Crimson Tide's offense couldn't have started the game much worse, as its four drives in the first quarter looked like this: fumble, punt, interception, punt. Alabama didn't reach positive yards until there was roughly two minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Alabama's defense kept the offense in this one early. The Crimson Tide allowed a field goal on Tennessee's opening possession, but despite the Volunteers' next two drives starting in the red zone, putting the ball through the uprights twice were Tennessee's only answers.
The Vols proceeded to punt the ball on their next two possessions, and one play after Alabama did the same, Tide safety Ivan Taylor intercepted Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre to put UA in the red zone. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, who really struggled in the pocket during the first half, proceeded to take it 19 yards to the house for Alabama's first points with 10 minutes left in the second quarter.
Both kickers traded field goals to end the half at 12-10 in favor of Tennessee. But Alabama's offense in the first half: 93 total yards, 0-for-7 on third down and just 3.3 yards per play. This includes a red zone fumble as well late in the second quarter, and yet the Tide only trailed by two going into the break.
Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop ran into the end zone on the Vols' first drive of the second half — which came after Alabama turned the ball over on downs.
Alabama was without captain and cornerback Zabien Brown, plus freshman running back EJ Crowell, during the second half due to injuries, and their absences didn't do the Tide any favors. DeSean Bishop scored again while the Crimson Tide was shut out in the latter two quarters.
Alabama moves to 5-2, including a 3-2 record against the SEC. The Crimson Tide will host Texas A&M (4-3, 1-3 SEC) on Oct. 24 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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