It's the day after, and somehow I am still at a loss for words. The Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide inside Neyland Stadium for the third straight time in Knoxville, and the third time in five seasons.
This was a massive win for the Vols, as they were able to best the Crimson Tide on both sides of the ball.
Tennessee Dominated on Defense
Not only did Tennessee play good defense, but I can't remember the last time that an Alabama offense struggled that much. Tennessee held them to just 201 total yards. This is an offense that has been great all season.
Tennessee also sacked Keelon Russell, a quarterback who has been great at avoiding pressure, a total of five times. This goes to show that the defense was on fire, especially considering they also finished the game with multiple takeaways, including two fumble recoveries and, of course, two interceptions in the contest.
What this tells me is that Jim Knowles is a dude! This is something I have known all season, as he does things that many defensive coordinators don't think to do, such as the safeties running to zones, different-looking blitz schemes, and coaching with a high IQ for the surroundings. He plays chess, not checkers, although he and his group want to reach the checkerboarded pattern in the end zone.
DeSean Bishop Remains a Star
As for the offense, DeSean Bishop is that dude. Bishop finished the game with a total of 159 yards, while also finishing the game with two touchdowns. He scored the only touchdown for the Vols in the 26-10 victory.
George MacIntyre solidified himself as the QB1 in my eyes, and at this point it is safe to say that Mike Matthews is becoming a true star in this offense. He plays better when the lights are brighter.
Now, what I will say is that the Vols are in the driver's seat of what should be a college football playoff run. They have some tough games ahead of them, but there's not a single game on this schedule in which I would count the Tennessee Vols out. The Vols very well could win any of the games on their schedule, and at this point I would feel comfortable saying that the Vols will win the rest of the games on their schedule if their defense shows up the way that they did on Saturday.
Send your questions, comments, and hot takes to our email tennesseeonsi@gmail.com for the chance to be featured in an article!
Follow Our Social Media Accounts
• Follow Vols on SI on X (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Facebook (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Instagram (Click HERE)
• Subscribe to Vols on SI on YouTube (Click HERE)
Sign up for our newsletter to have articles sent straight to your email daily HERE.
Add us as a preferred source on Google