It’s often said that football is a game of inches.
In a highly anticipated matchup between Tennessee and Alabama Saturday, the Crimson Tide may have been handed a few extra in a crucial moment.
Facing a fourth-and-1 from the Vols’ 37-yard line late in the second quarter at Neyland Stadium, coach Kalen DeBoer opted to go for it, with quarterback Jalen Milroe chugging forward to pick up the necessary yard to continue Alabama’s drive.
REQUIRED READING: Tennessee vs Alabama score today: Live updates, highlights with Vols losing 7-0 at halftime
Whether he actually managed to get to the first-down marker is up for some debate. Tennessee’s defensive line appeared to stuff Milroe, with many of the Vols’ players celebrating as if they had gotten a critical stop. The referee, however, placed the tip of the ball right at the first-down line.
The ball placement elicited some criticism on social media.
The call was ultimately only so impactful, as the Tide failed to gain another yard and missed a 54-yard field goal attempt.
Still, it perhaps cost Tennessee a better chance to mount a scoring drive, as it would have taken over at its own 37 with 56 seconds remaining in the half had the ball been placed in a different spot. Instead, it received the ball at its own 36 with 34 seconds remaining.
The Vols were unable to score, sending them into halftime with a 7-0 deficit. It marked the third consecutive game Tennessee was held scoreless in the first half, the first time that has happened since 1963.
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Publish date : 2024-10-19 12:53:00
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