Alabama vs. Tennessee: Game Grades, Analysis for Crimson Tide and Vols
The fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide survived a mid-game comeback by the Tennessee Volunteers, earning a 34-20 conference win.
Alabama jumped out to a 27-point lead, but 17 straight from the Vols forced Nick Saban's team to refocus and finish strong.
| Pass Offense | A- | A |
| Run Offense | B- | B+ |
| Pass Defense | B | B |
| Run Defense | B | B- |
| Special Teams | B+ | A- |
| Coaching | A- | B+ |
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Pass Offense: Blake Sims was efficient once again, finishing the night 14-of-24 for 286 yards. Amari Cooper reeled in nine passes for a school-record 224 yards and two touchdowns, moving into the No. 2 spot for single-season and career yards in program history.
Run Offense: T.J. Yeldon recorded 52 yards and a score before deferring to Derrick Henry, who registered 78 yards and one touchdown. The most impressive scamper of the day belonged to Sims, who bounced off a handful of tacklers en route to a 28-yard score.
"VINE - Blake Sims 28 Yd Run for the TD #BAMAvsTENN https://t.co/DYRNkrfCTT
— FanSided GIF (@FanSidedGIF) October 26, 2014"
Pass Defense: The 'Bama pass rush sacked Nathan Peterman once, and cornerback Cyrus Jones snagged an airmailed ball. Marquez North was blanketed relatively well, which was a key to curbing Tennessee's attack.
Run Defense: Somewhat surprisingly, the Crimson Tide struggled during the first half and allowed a season-high 140 yards on the ground. The front seven settled down throughout the latter frames and limited the Vols to just 41 more.
Special Teams: JK Scott hammered a 60-yard punt, eventually compiling 42.8 per attempt. Adam Griffith missed an extra point for the first time during his Alabama career but made his next five.
Coaching: Lane Kiffin's return to Knoxville was a clear success, and his game plan attacked Tennessee's weaknesses perfectly to build a 27-point advantage. Kirby Smart tightened up his defense after 17 unanswered and buried the Vols.
| Pass Offense | B | B |
| Run Offense | B | B+ |
| Pass Defense | C- | D+ |
| Run Defense | B+ | B- |
| Special Teams | B+ | A- |
| Coaching | B- | B |
Pass Offense: Peterman started the game under center, but Joshua Dobbs looked confident in the pocket upon entering. He finished his first appearance of the year 19-of-32 for 192 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Run Offense: Led by Dobbs, Jalen Hurd and Marlin Lane, Tennessee racked up a season-high 181 yards on the ground. It had the most success running outside, and the read-option helped the team's speed turn the corner.
Pass Defense: There's no courteous way to acknowledge that Cooper completely shredded the Vols secondary, so that's that. Sims successfully eluded pressure for most of the night, though Tennessee did record one sack on a third down.
Run Defense: During the first half, Alabama managed just 69 yards. However, failing to contain Sims on a pair of third-down scrambles proved to be killer, and the Tide tallied 185 yards and three touchdowns.
Special Teams: Cameron Sutton nearly muffed a punt, but it was an otherwise uneventful night for the special teams. Aaron Medley connected on two field goals and extra points, while Matt Darr averaged 41.8 yards per punt.
Coaching: It looked like the Vols would be blown out of Neyland Stadium, but Butch Jones sticking with Dobbs was an important decision. Offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian called an outstanding game, especially since the game marked Dobbs' first snaps of 2014.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
