-
andrea adelson
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.–Afterwards alabama Beat Tennessee 37-20 On Saturday night, coach Kalen DeBoer wanted to make sure his players enjoyed a cigar after the game to celebrate another win in their old rivalry.
There’s still a long way to go, but what Alabama has done to get to this point is worth a celebratory cigar.
After a Week 1 loss to Florida State, Alabama has reeled off back-to-back wins, six in a row, blowing away leads and finding different ways to motivate themselves. Proving that this was better than the team that opened in Tallahassee is certainly one of those reasons. But there were others too. Proving that the team can win on the road and doing that against Georgia. Beats Vanderbilt after losing to the Commodores last year. And on Saturday night, they also took the lead against Tennessee after losing to the Volunteers last year.
outcome? According to ESPN Research, Alabama is the first team in SEC history to win four consecutive games, all against ranked teams, including no bye weeks.
DeBoer later said, “They still have the edge and they haven’t lost it since the beginning after Week 1. That’s hard to do.” “It’s really hard to do. As you go through the weeks, there are enough reasons, different motivational factors, to get ready for games, and our guys, every week, find a way to do it. So, we have to keep the pedal down.”
The turning point came just before half-time on Saturday. Tennessee trailed 16–7 at the Alabama 1-yard line with eight seconds remaining in the quarter. joey aguilar Dropped back and threw straight to the tight end miles kitselmanWho appeared to be wide open in the end zone. But zbn brown Root jumped and intercepted the pass, returning it 99 yards for a score and giving Alabama a 23–7 lead.
“The ball fell right into my hand,” Brown said. “I [saw] The field opened and I started running. I feel like, if I settle down, the time will come [will] Get out. So, I have to find a way to join in [end] Area.”
It was a victorious day for a defense that had struggled at times all season to limit explosive play and put its stamp on the game. Alabama also had a safety in the first half and life remained uncomfortable for Aguilar all night. Tennessee came into the game as the highest-scoring offense in the SEC, but Alabama held the Vols to a season-low 20 points and 410 total yards. Tennessee scored on only two of its five red zone opportunities.
Alabama fans lit their cigars in the stadium long before the game ended. It was Alabama’s 11th consecutive win at home in the series and brings DeBoer’s record at home to 11–0 since his arrival last year. They have won six in a row since switching to black hoodies on the sideline, something that has become a major talking point among the Alabama fan base.
When asked if he was giving the fans what they want by continuing to wear the black hoodie, DeBoer said, “It’s not new. I’ve done it for years. But we’re going to keep the momentum going. I told people not to take anything for granted. [cigar] Ashes on it.”
The Crimson Tide are 4-0 in SEC play and are one of two undefeated teams left in the league along with Texas A&M. There’s a trip to South Carolina before the next open date.
“I think we understand that the week of preparation gets you in the right place mentally where you’re confident going out on the football field,” DeBoer said. “When you’re confident, you have a little more energy. And that’s really what I see with my people, and it excites me.”
