Alabama hadn't lost two straight regular-season games since Nick Saban's debut season with the Crimson Tide in 2007. That streak ended on Saturday afternoon in a pitiful performance on Rocky Top. Alabama lost 26-10 in a game that really wasn't even that close.
It was the same old story for Alabama under Kalen DeBoer. They're good for this type of performance at least once a year under his leadership.
Now, after a 5-0 start, Alabama has fallen to 5-2 and will enter the final five games of the regular season with zero margin for error if it wants to make the College Football Playoff.
Let's examine Alabama's winners and losers from an inexcusable performance in Knoxville.
Winner: Ivan Taylor
Sophomore safety Ivan Taylor, being in the right place at the right time to secure an interception on a tipped pass from George MacIntyre, allowed the Crimson Tide to score their only touchdown of the afternoon.
Taylor hauled in the interception and returned it 14 yards into the redzone. That set up a Keelon Russell rushing touchdown to cut Tennessee's lead to just two. It looked like the momentum shift Alabama needed to turn things around, but it was ultimately all for nothing.
I continue to contend that Taylor should get more playing time over Keon Sabb. He tends to make more things happen when he's out there.
Winner: Conor Talty
It's a real struggle to find positives from this game, but don't let the ugly defeat distract you from how rock-solid Conor Talty continues to be at kicker. He is now a perfect 9-for-9 on the season after knocking down a 42-yard field goal right before the half to cut Tennessee's lead to just 12-10.
Like Taylor's pick, it looked like Alabama had taken the momentum back, and Talty's field goal would be built upon in the second half. Instead, the Tide were shut out completely over the final 30 minutes. Why? I'm glad you asked!
Loser: Ryan Grubb
It's year two of Ryan Grubb in Tuscaloosa, and Alabama's offense still doesn't have a discernible identity. Grubb cannot survive without elite QB play. His play-calling is based on vibes, with nothing being built on for sustained success.
In a raucous road environment, you would think Grubb would want to establish the run early to take some pressure off Russell. Nah! It took until Alabama's third possession before they called a traditional run play.
Alabama's game plan was garbage. There were too many slow-developing pass plays against an elite Tennessee defensive line. The Tide's receivers rarely got open, but even when they did, Russell never had the time to get the ball to them down the field.
The game plan was bad, and the adjustments were totally non-existent. Alabama played against a Tennessee team that knows EXACTLY who it is. Alabama is still searching for that identity in DeBoer's third season, and there may not be answers without drastic changes.
Loser: Kane Wommack
Let's go ahead and pass some blame to Kane Wommack, too. The Alabama defense kept the Crimson Tide in the game in the first half by standing tall in the redzone and forcing the Vols into four field goals despite consistently being in a bad position thanks to the offensive ineptitude.
The dam broke in the second half. Tennessee only had the ball three times in the second half - not counting the kneel-down after Russell's second interception - and they scored two touchdowns. That included a back-breaking, 15-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that ate up nearly 10 minutes and was the final nail in the Tide's self-built coffin.
Wommack came into this game knowing - or at least he should have known - that Tennessee was going to want to run the football and give their young QB safe, simple throws. So why on earth was Alabama consistently giving Tennessee soft boxes to run into, along with playing so far off the receivers that MacIntyre was able to get the ball out of his hands to an open guy quickly all night long?
Make it make sense. I cannot.
Loser: Keelon Russell
I hate to blame the young QB, and while Grubb did not put him in a position to succeed in Knoxville, he still has to play better. He's far too loose with the football still. He fumbled on Alabama's first possession, setting up a field goal for Tennessee because he didn't secure the ball as he was getting sacked. He's got to learn when the play is over and not compound the issue by putting the ball on the turf.
He also threw two interceptions, including the game-sealing one on Alabama's final possession that was lobbed up to nobody in particular. He looked indecisive and didn't play with any real confidence. Again, a lot of that has to do with coaching, but Alabama needs Russell to get a lot better, quickly, if they are going to have a legitimate shot at making the playoff.
Loser: Alabama's WRs
Alabama really missed Ryan Coleman-Williams against Tennessee. None of the other receivers put the fear into Tennessee's DBs, and while Russell missed some throws, this group was not able to get consistent separation against the Vols.
Lotzeir Brooks managed just three receptions for 26 yards. Rico Scott had four receptions for 54 yards, but left some yards out there by not securing a couple of difficult receptions. Russell needed some help today, and he didn't get it from either of his top two WRs.
Derek Meadows got the start in place of Coleman-Williams, and he managed just two receptions for eight yards. No other WR caught a pass.
NC State transfer Noah Rogers was the "big" portal pickup for the WR room, and he seemed like a guy Alabama could rely on to step up in Coleman-Williams' absence. He didn't.
Coleman-Williams will miss next week's game against Texas A&M too, with a return hopefully set for the LSU game after the bye.
Loser: Alabama's pass rush
A few weeks ago, Texas sacked Tennessee QBs 10 times. Alabama mustered just one from Yhonzae Pierre on Saturday. That's it.
It was a disappointing result because the pass rush was something that Wommack and the rest of the coaching staff were pretty confident would be an upgrade this year. It hasn't really come to pass.
Alabama needed to create some negative plays to keep Tennessee behind the sticks, particularly in the second half, and just couldn't make plays when they needed them most. That's been a consistent theme in 2026.
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