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In perhaps one of the best college football games in years, the Tennessee Volunteers had a big 52-49 upset win over the Alabama Crimson Tide. The walk-off game-winning field goal could go down as one of the most iconic moments in college football history. Unfortunately for the Crimson Tide, they are on the wrong side of this play.
TENNESSEE TAKES DOWN ALABAMA AND THE FANS ARE STORMING THE FIELD AT NEYLAND STADIUM.
WHAT A WIN FOR THE VOLS. pic.twitter.com/1MkxrkyxBA
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 15, 2022
The result not only snapped Alabama's perfect record in 2022 but moved it down from first in the AP Top 25 poll to No. 6. Now, there is a possibility the team won't be part of the College Football Playoff. It would be only the second time since the 2015 season that the Crimson Tide would be out of title contention.
The team will try to bounce back on Saturday as it will host the No. 24 Mississippi State Bulldogs. If Alabama football wants to get back on track, head coach Nick Saban should take some things into consideration. With that being said, here are three changes the Alabama football program must make to rebound from the heartbreaking loss to Tennessee.
3. Defense must start strong
While the game was decided by a field goal, the Tennessee game could have been a blowout loss for Alabama. In the Volunteers' first five possessions, they scored four touchdowns. They had 21 points by the end of the first quarter alone. Prior to the loss, the most points Alabama had allowed in a game this season was 26.
Even though the Crimson Tide eventually took the lead, the bad defensive start set the tone for the game. Tennessee ended up producing 567 total yards on offense, which included 12.4 yards per pass.
As much as Alabama's defense is top-tier in the nation, it cannot allow 50-plus points, even for a high-ranked opponent. Mississippi State's offense produces 427.6 yards per game, just outside of the top 50 in the country. It is significantly lower than Tennessee's No. 1 with 551, but it should still deserve some special attention.
Should Alabama contain the Bulldogs' offense early in the game, Saban's team should be in a good position for the remainder of the day.
2. Avoid penalties at all costs
If there is one area that Saban and the coaching staff certainly addressed after the loss to Tennessee, it was the team's discipline. Alabama had 17 penalties for a total of 130 yards lost. For comparison, the Volunteers only had six flags for 39 total yards.
In a game decided by one possession, the Crimson Tide cannot handle that many penalties. The problem is that it came from both the offense and the defensive units.
When the game was 14-7 Tennessee, the Volunteers were in a third-and-long situation inside their own 30. Alabama committed pass interference, which gave Tennessee a first down. They ended up scoring a touchdown just three plays later.
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Then, in Alabama's possession following that score, the Crimson Tide had four penalties. In the end, the team had to punt from their own 2-yard line. The punt went for only 33 yards, giving Tennessee a great field position. The Volunteers would score their third touchdown of the day just four plays later.
Penalties most likely cost many points for the Crimson Tide on both sides of the ball. If the team worked on how to stay focused to avoid them, things should go way smoother against the Bulldogs on Saturday.
1. The team must protect Bryce Young better
After missing a game due to a shoulder injury, quarterback Bryce Young returned and had his best individual game of the season. Against Tennessee, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner completed 35 of his 52 pass attempts for 455 yards and two touchdowns with no picks. However, it was not enough.
Even with a stellar performance, Young could have had an even better day. First, it was his first time playing a full game in two weeks. But most importantly, he was under pressure for most of the contest.
The Volunteers sacked Young just once, but nine quarterback hurries, which forced him to throw some risky and bad passes. Plus, it limited his run game as he only registered a loss of four yards. Earlier this season, Young had his first 100-yard rushing game. So far in 2022, he has totaled 150 rushing yards on 22 attempts and scored three times.
While Young's best quality is his passing, he could also his legs when needed. In a game where he passed for 400-plus yards and still lost, any other help on offense is useful.
If the offensive line steps up against the Bulldogs, Young could throw even better passes. With more time to evaluate all options, Alabama football can have an even better start. Also, the team will preserve its quarterback for the remainder of the season.
Should that happen, Young can climb the Heisman rankings and the Crimson Tide can return to the top four for a CFP bid.
