GAME THREAD: NCAAF: TENNESSEE (4-2) at ALABAMA (5-2)

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (Ticker) -- John Parker Wilson and D.J.Hall allowed Nick Saban to breathe easily in his first Tennesseegame wearing Alabama crimson and white.


Wilson and Hall hooked up for a pair of second-quartertouchdowns Saturday to propel Alabama to a 41-17 SoutheasternConference triumph over the 20th-ranked Volunteers.

It was the third consecutive victory for the Crimson Tide (6-2,4-1 SEC West), who won for just the third time in their last 13meetings with the Volunteers (4-3, 2-2 East).


Coaching for the first time in the annual "Third Saturday inOctober" contest, Saban put the game in the hands of Wilson, whocompleted 32-of-46 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns.The junior established season highs in completions and yards.

Wilson's favorite target was the 6-2 Hall, who finished withcareer highs of 13 receptions and 185 yards.


Erik Ainge found tight end Luke Stocker for a three-yard TD passto give Tennessee a 14-10 lead on the first play of the secondquarter.


But Alabama rolled from there, outscoring the Vols by a 31-3margin over the rest of the game. The Crimson Tide took thelead for good with 11:16 remaining in the first half when Wilsonpassed to Hall for a 16-yard score, capping an 11-play drive.

The duo hooked up again for a two-yard TD with 12 seconds leftin the half, this time ending a 16-play drive which spanned 75yards.


Leigh Tiffin booted two third-quarter field goals to giveAlabama a 30-17 cushion, and Terry Grant raced for an eight-yardscore four minutes into the fourth quarter to make it 38-17.

Ainge had a solid game for Tennessee, completing 21-of-32 passesfor 239 yards, one TD and a late interception.

 

NCAAF: TENNESSEE at ALABAMA

<div class="pre">NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TENNESSEE (20) 7 10 0 0 17
ALABAMA 10 14 6 11 41 FINAL

ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 39 YD 1:55 1st Qtr
ALABAMA-TD, T Grant 3 YD PASS FROM J Wilson (L Tiffin
KICK) 8:01 1st Qtr
TENNESSEE-TD, A Foster 2 YD RUN (D Lincoln KICK) 10:17 1st
Qtr
TENNESSEE-TD, L Stocker 3 YD PASS FROM E Ainge (D Lincoln
KICK) 0:04 2nd Qtr
ALABAMA-TD, D Hall 16 YD PASS FROM J Wilson (L Tiffin
KICK) 3:44 2nd Qtr
ALABAMA-TD, D Hall 2 YD PASS FROM J Wilson (L Tiffin
KICK) 14:48 2nd Qtr
TENNESSEE-FG, D Lincoln 45 YD 15:00 2nd Qtr
ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 20 YD 8:03 3rd Qtr
ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 42 YD 12:48 3rd Qtr
ALABAMA-TD, T Grant 8 YD RUN (J Wilson PASS TO D Hall FOR
TWO-POINT CONVERSION) 4:01 4th Qtr
ALABAMA-FG, L Tiffin 44 YD 10:05 4th Qtr


TENNESSEE ALABAMA
First downs 19 27
Rushed-yards 19-103 38-147
Passing yards 259 363
Sacked-yards lost 0-0 1-1
Return yards 2 29
Passes 23-38-2 32-46-0
Punts 5-41.4 2-43.5
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0
Penalties-yards 11-81 8-66
Time of possession 22:22 37:38


Individual Statistics

RUSHING: TENNESSEE-Arian Foster 13-91, LaMarcus Coker 5-12, Lennon
Creer 1-0. ALABAMA-Terry Grant 26-104, John Parker Wilson 6-28, Roy
Upchurch 6-15.

PASSING: TENNESSEE-Erik Ainge 22-35-243- 1, Jonathan Crompton 1-2-16-
1, LaMarcus Coker 0-1-0- 0. ALABAMA-John Parker Wilson 32-46-363- 0.

RECEIVING: TENNESSEE-Arian Foster 4-74, Austin Rogers 4-52, Josh
Briscoe 3-36, Chris Brown 5-28, Gerald Jones 2-27, Denarius Moore
1-16, Lucas Taylor 2-15, Quintin Hancock 1-8, Luke Stocker 1-3.
ALABAMA-Dj Hall 13-185, Matt Caddell 4-58, Terry Grant 6-31, Nikita
Stover 2-24, Roy Upchurch 1-22, Travis McCall 3-21, Mike McCoy 2-12,
Keith Brown 1-10.


Att: 92,138</div>

 

NCAAF: TENNESSEE at ALABAMA

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NCAAF
TENNESSEE (20) 17
ALABAMA 41 FINAL</div>

 

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (Ticker) -- John Parker Wilson and D.J.Hall allowed Nick Saban to breathe easily in his first Tennesseegame wearing Alabama crimson and white.


Wilson and Hall hooked up for a pair of second-quartertouchdowns Saturday to propel Alabama to a 41-17 SoutheasternConference triumph over the 20th-ranked Volunteers.

It was the third consecutive victory for the Crimson Tide (6-2,4-1 SEC West), who won for just the third time in their last 13meetings with the Volunteers (4-3, 2-2 East).


"This is the first time we've played a complete game," Sabansaid. "We challenge the players to play each play as if it hasa history of its own and try to get them to focus on that play,believe in each other. They did a fantastic job of that today."

Coaching for the first time in the annual "Third Saturday inOctober" contest, Saban guided the Crimson Tide to their mostlopsided win in this border rivalry since a 56-28 thrashing onOctober 18, 1986.


Alabama improved to 45-38-7 all-time against Tennessee on thesame day that five Crimson Tide players were suspended for aviolation of school policy involving the impermissible receiptof textbooks.


"Obviously we had some players who didn't use good judgment inwhat they did," Saban said. "We have a system in place thatshouldn't allow this to happen and obviously that didn't work.It was poor judgment on the players' end, and we can't toleratepoor judgment."


With starting offensive linemen Antoine Caldwell and MarlonDavis and second-string running back Glen Coffee among thesuspended players, Saban put the game in the hands of Wilson,who completed 32-of-46 passes for 363 yards and threetouchdowns.


A junior, Wilson established career highs in completions andyards while tying Gary Hollingsworth for the school'ssingle-game completion record.


"I felt pretty good," Wilson said. "We got in a good rhythmearly and just stayed in it the whole game. Guys were gettingopen, the O-line blocked great and it makes it easy when guysare getting open."


Wilson's favorite target was the 6-2 Hall, who finished withcareer highs of 13 receptions and 185 yards. The junior alsoset a new school record for catches in a single game.

"I don't even know how many more records are out there, but Iguess I'm going to try to get them all," Hall said. "I'm goingto try to get them all, and then maybe somebody can come throughand break mine."


"They put (Hall) in a lot of places, but they did that comingin," Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. "The under routes,the corner routes - they did a nice job."


Erik Ainge found tight end Luke Stocker for a three-yard TD passto give Tennessee a 14-10 lead on the first play of the secondquarter.


But Alabama rolled from there, outscoring the Vols by a 31-3margin over the rest of the game. The Crimson Tide took thelead for good with 11:16 remaining in the first half when Wilsonpassed to Hall for a 16-yard score, capping an 11-play drive.

The duo hooked up again for a two-yard TD with 12 seconds leftin the half, this time ending a 16-play drive which spanned 75yards.


"Offensively we had a great plan," Saban said. "Everyone thatwas out there did an excellent job. ... We didn't do everythingperfectly in the first half, but we are very happy at the wayour entire team played in the second half."


Leigh Tiffin booted two third-quarter field goals to giveAlabama a 30-17 cushion, and Terry Grant raced for an eight-yardscore four minutes into the fourth quarter to make it 38-17.

Grant thrived in Coffee's absence, rushing for 104 yards on 26carries. The freshman also hauled in six receptions for 31yards and a TD.


Ainge had a solid game for Tennessee, completing 22-of-35 passesfor 243 yards, one TD and a late interception.


"We moved the ball pretty well and we'd get the ball to3rd-and-short - then we'd have a bad snap or miscue to thereceiver or a bad throw," Ainge said. "It was one little stupidthing after another in the second half that kept us fromcompleting drives."