Quarterbacks Jalen Milroe and Nico Iamaleava duked it out in No. 7 Alabama’s 24-17 loss to No. 11 Tennessee, the team’s second loss of the season.
“We just can’t play team football,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “[We] can’t bring it together. One side of the ball has highlights, and the other side stumbles.”
While Alabama’s defense seemed to patch up the holes that caused its 27-25 near loss to South Carolina, the Crimson Tide’s offense laid the groundwork for Tennessee to come away with the win.
Tennessee’s Iamaleava went 14 for 27 and fell behind in the first quarter, throwing multiple incomplete passes that had the potential to be touchdowns, while Milroe worked out one touchdown in the second quarter after a scoreless first.
The Crimson Tide ended the first half with the only points on the board, which came from a touchdown pass to Ryan Williams in the endzone. The team held off the Volunteers until deep in the third quarter, when Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson rushed up the middle to bring the game to 7-7.
Milroe went 25 for 45 and threw two interceptions in the game, including the game-winning pick, meaning he has thrown an interception in each of the past four games — the longest streak in his career.
“We do have to acknowledge that was a great crowd. It is one of the greatest crowds in the country, and it’s on us to control our controllables, understand our snap count and understand what we need to do so we can move forward when playing games like this,” Milroe said.
Alabama took the lead again 10-7 with a 35-yard field goal from kicker Graham Nicholson, but Tennessee ended the third quarter in the lead after Sampson rushed up the middle for a 3-yard touchdown that brought the game to 10-14.
The game played out as a battle of will between the quarterbacks, with Milroe throwing to Justice Haynes for another touchdown and then matched by Iamaleava, who threw to Chris Brazzell II for a 16-yard touchdown.
Tennessee ended scoring for the game with a 41-yard field goal that brought the score to 24-17. Though Alabama made an attempt to even the score in the final seconds of the game, Tennessee’s Will Brooks intercepted a Milroe pass at the Alabama 36-yard line.
“We have a lot of great guys in the locker room and they acknowledge what it takes to wear the script A. Going beyond ourselves, we’re doing it for the state of Alabama, our families,” Milroe said. “We play with a lot of pride …we weren’t victorious today, but we love each other and appreciate each other and we want to do all that is required so we can be successful. There is a lot of opportunity ahead for us.”
The Crimson Tide will return to Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium for a Homecoming matchup against the Missouri Tigers Oct. 26.
