C'mon guys, this is Tennessee-Alabama.... anything can happen and if you only get into the orange-zone twice in the game AND actually score, the final score would be something like Tennessee winning 17-3 or at worst 9-6. I'll take that win to the bank over Alabama, over a top 5 team on the road anyday. Too bad the Vols did not pull it off.
Did you guys complain in 1998 after the Vols won over Florida 20-17 in overtime? Did you complain about winning a sloppy game over Florida State to win the national championship? Basically, if the Vols win, there are no complaints from me. However, they did lose, and I am frustrated by the players lack of focus on offense, special teams, AND defense. As well as the defense played, that 48-yard pass was a killer. Started of reminding me of past Tennessee-Alabama games when the Vols found ways of losing.... like Alabama driving the length of the field to tie the game in the final minutes of the 1993 game. The turnovers and penalties are wearing me thin too.
The gameplan..... run the ball... run clock.... keep the Vols defense off the field.... and score on a tired Tide defense in the 4th quarter. That was the gameplan that won a national title in 1998. The big difference is that the Vols don't have a go-to running back (where have you gone Gerald Riggs) and Clausen ain't no Tee Martin when it comes to getting it done in the 4th quarter. Martin may not have looked good for 3 quarters.... but with the game on the line he sure could move that ball in for a score. Anyways, the Vols sqaundered a scoring oppty in the first half.... but still got to the 2nd half tied 0-0.
The Vols first poss. of the 2nd half started at the UT 14. 10 plays later the Vols came up short (4th and 2) at the Bama 45. Meachem lost 2 yards on 2nd down and Riggs ran out of bounds 2 yards short of the 1st down marker on 3rd down. Foster ran 4 straight carries, had 2 first downs, and gained 16 yards during the drive.
The Vols 2nd poss. of the half started at the UT 35. 3-and-out after Jason Swain ran out-of-bounds 2 yards short of the 1st down marker.
What would have been UT's 3rd poss. was fumbled by Taylor at midfield.
The Vols actual 3rd poss. of the half ended in a field goal. UT started at the UT 46, Swain caught a 35 yard pass down to the Bama 19. Foster fumbled and the Vols lost 2 yards on the recovery. Gerald Riggs ran for 9 yards on 3rd down and came up 1-yard short of the first down. Vols kick field goal.
Next UT drive (and really their final one) started at the UT 47, and the Vols moved to the Bama 3 on mainly the running of Arian Foster and Gerald Riggs. A false start penalty and illegal pass penalty dropped the Vols back to the 15 yd line. A perfectly called screen pass to Cory Anderson looked like the Vols could have scored a touchdown, if not for Anderson fumbling the ball through the back of the endzone.
In the Vols first 5 second half poss. They gained 40 yards into Bama territory, had to punt... but won the field position. Then 3-and-out but moved ball to midfield to win field position battle again... then fumbles a punt at midfield and gives field position back to Bama. then a field goal to tie the game.... then a fumble into the endzone instead of scoring the go-ahead touchdown.
