Tennessee players react to Third Saturday in October victory over Alabama

For the third consecutive game, Tennessee’s defense had to keep them in the game as the Vols offense failed to score in the first half.

The defense more than did its job, holding Alabama to 174 total yards (142 passing, 31 rushing), forcing four punts and intercepting a pass in the end zone. Three of the four punts were three-and-outs.

Tennessee’s offensive struggles continued in the first quarter, starting with a Dylan Sampson fumble lost on the first possession. The Vols drove 43 yards after forcing Alabama to punt on the opening series of the game, but Sampson was stripped at the Alabama 38-yard line and the Crimson Tide recovered. He would bounce back and go over 100 yards again with another strong second half.

“Just got to put it behind me,” Sampson said he told himself after the early fumble. “Similar situation this past week as someone on offense taking thier turn while we are having positives. We were shooting ourselves in the foot, but I couldn’t dwell on that.”

Nico Iamaleava left Saturday afternoon’s game against Alabama with an apparent injury  Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium. Iamaleava landed hard on his chest after being sacked by an Alabama defensive lineman on a second-and-seven near midfield. He would return and certainly flashed in a game that saw him miss wide open receivers, and also drop dimes.

Iamaleava threw a 55-yard pass to Dont’e Thornton on a go route on the Tennessee sideline on third-and-6 and Sampson scored from three yards out on the next play to give Tennessee its first lead of the game. 

“We’ve got a tight locker room. I think we really came together and got even tighter after the Arkansas game,” Iamaleava said of the offense hitting adversity. “I think our bond has been strong throughout. We have been working since January, so it has been a tight brotherhood since then.”

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