Post-game audio
Event Details
- What: Tennesee vs. Alabama
- When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: All ages
Tennessee Stat Book
AP Top 25 College Football
Blog react
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — So easily, it could have been enshrined as three and a half of the greatest minutes ever in Tennessee football lore.
Instead, it ended with a whack, a final thud that might yet be heralded as the moment that preserved an Alabama national championship.
“We get that onside kick, the way the game was going at that point, it kind of felt like we were meant to win,’’ Tennessee kicker Daniel Lincoln said Saturday after No. 1 Alabama escaped with a 12-10 victory over the Vols at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Lincoln lined up a 44-yard field goal that would have tumbled the Tide had it made it to and over the crossbar.
During an Alabama timeout with 4 seconds to play, a crowd of 92,012 and a national CBS audience pondered what a near-miraculous turn of events the upstart Vols had produced to arrive at the brink of a mammoth upset.
But Alabama blocked the kick almost as it came off Lincoln’s foot. The crowd exploded in joyous relief and the Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0 SEC) marches on with its championship dreams intact.
“To beat the number-one team in the country, you’ve got to almost play perfect,’’ said first-year UT coach Lane Kiffin.
In a game decided by field goals, Alabama was perfect.
Alabama’s Leigh Tiffin kicked first-half field goals of 38, 50 and 22 yards.
Then he added a 49-yarder with 6:31 to play to make it 12-3, a seemingly insurmountable lead for Alabama’s stalwart defense to protect.
Lincoln, meanwhile, made only one of four tries, a 24-yarder in the second quarter.
He missed just short from 47 yards as the first half ended and then had a 43-yard attempt blocked early in the fourth quarter.
“Special teams is just as important as offense and defense and today it showed,’’ said UT receiver Gerald Jones, who scored the game’s only touchdown.
Alabama’s blocks were both by Terrence Cody, the 354-pound nose tackle who is having an All-America season on his way to the first round of the NFL draft.
“We allowed so much penetration,’’ said Kiffin. “They put the big boys in there. Cody versus (UT center Cody) Sullins.
“We tried to avoid that match-up as much as we could offensively. We couldn’t avoid it on field goals.’’
“I just knew,’’ said Cody, “we had to make a play. I had to make a play. We couldn’t wait on anybody else to make a play.
“I got a good jump off the line, pushed the guy back and just stuck my arm up.’’
Tennessee (3-4, 1-3) made a bunch of plays down the stretch.
The game seemed over for all intents and purposes when, trailing 12-3, the Vols were penalized for roughing Alabama’s punter with 3:43 to play.
The flag gave the Tide a first down and the opportunity to run out the clock.
But on Alabama’s next snap Eric Berry forced a Mark Ingram fumble and Tennessee recovered at the Crimson Tide with 3:29 to play.
Jonathan Crompton rose to the occasion, marching the Vols for a touchdown on an 11-yard strike to Jones with 1:19 to play.
Trailing 12-10, UT successfully executed the onside kick, Denarius Moore recovering at the UT 41.
Another completion to Jones crossed midfield, then Crompton found tight end Luke Stocker for a 23-yard gain to the Alabama 27.
“After I made that catch,’’ said Stocker, “I knew we were in field-goal range.
“Words can’t describe the way I felt, thinking we were going to win the game. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind.’’
The Vols were out of timeouts and, thus it came down to Lincoln and a 44-yard attempt.
“We had complete faith in Daniel Lincoln and the field-goal team,’’ said defensive end Chris Walker. “I had no doubt in my mind we were going to win the game.’’
Lincoln, a junior, was good on eight of 10 tries before Saturday. Since suffering a quadriceps injury, however, his range has been limited.
His career-long is 49 yards, which came earlier this year. He was 10-of-15 from 40 yards or longer in his career prior to Saturday.
“I thought I was good coming into the game,’’ he said. “I thought I was about 90 percent and in warm-ups I kind of re-injured it.
“I got some medicine and felt pretty decent. You don’t feel anything when you go out in front of 95,000 people.’’
Alabama’s penetration on both blocks was significant, however.
“I’ve always lived my life that I can control what I can control and leave everything else up to the Lord,’’ Lincoln said.
Kiffin and his players said this one hurt worse than the 23-13 loss to then-No. 1 Florida last month.
“This is completely different,’’ said Kiffin.
The Vols outgained Alabama 341 yards to 246. Instead of yielding to the Crimson Tide’s physicality, Tennessee won the time-of-possession battle decisively in both the third and fourth quarters.
Crompton threw an interception in the first half but fared better than several other SEC quarterbacks against Alabama’s vaunted defense: 21-of-36 for 265 yards.
“After that roughing-the-punter penalty, a lot of teams could have quit,’’ Kiffin said. “So I am really proud of our effort.
“But I don’t believe in moral victories. We should have won that game.’’
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 807
Razzle writes:
Great game Vols. Feel bad for the team. Kicking game is so vital.
chadriddle#645749 writes:
Damn
tnbigg writes:
D A N G
NoSirRee writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
HSVol writes:
Man, does our kicking game suck. But, I never thought it would be anywhere near that close, so I guess there's a silver lining.
dmcintosh writes:
Vols blew it on the kicking game, but the officials blew it on the last play. Should have called a 15 yard penalty for Cody removing his helmet!
chadriddle#645749 writes:
Huge effort. Would have been a huge win. So close. They played hard.
Major_Magilicutty writes:
So this is what a broken heart feels like...
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
1st kick was too short... 2nd kick (first blocked) was too low. never thought the kicking game would do us in today. Rest of Vols, good game!
bigOutfan writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Volon writes:
3 wins
4 loses
2 morale victories
MiserableFloridaVol writes:
We're on our way. They clearly had more talent than we did. That really shows up in special teams and O and D Lines. Their day is coming soon. Go Big Orange!!!
bobbarbilly writes:
Cody's armpits will be sore.
abcdr11 writes:
Anyone else think Kiffin should have moved the ball before more, not just run out the clock before the kick?
sidwalkvol writes:
wait for the trolls to talk about how the Tide was tired, injured, etc... we outplayed them in every category EXCEPT kicking. The onside recovery was huge, but I wish we had run one or more to the endzone before Daniel chili-dipped it.
kabulvol writes:
No way would I ever think that Lincoln would miss another FG. I certainly didn't think that they'd block TWO FGs. Holy cow.
Give CLK a couple of years and we'll be winning these games. Go Vols!
bobhill#649661 writes:
WE are getting better every week, and that is a sign of good coaching, and game planning. look for tennessee to build on this and possible finish the season 8-4
mdvol writes:
Beat South Carolina and win out. This team can finish strong. That one would have been sweet though.
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
I said this during the in-game blog, but I wonder if Urban thought Lane was playing to win this game.
VolNavy writes:
Very proud of the effort. Good, solid game except for the obvious.
chadriddle#645749 writes:
You know, the last play perhaps should have been a penalty, but that guy earned the win for his team, and to me, he earned the right to celebrate a little.
The game was over as far as I was concerned.
the_1_don#407478 writes:
Crompton played one heck of a game! I'm surprised that no one has pointed out that with out him there would have been no Tennessee offense! Good game JC! We're aslmost there, and I bet we got the attention of some recruits! GBO
volsfannsc writes:
I posted on two different occasions this week that our special teams would make the difference between a win and a loss. I hope we are recruiting a kicker for next year. Crompton played a good game, defense was spectacular. We broke Ingrams record of no fumbles and we went into their end zone which hasn't been done in a while. Lincoln, three kicks in one game LOW! !
...c'mon.
rockytopatl writes:
As bad as his two previous kicks were, I would have preferred we'd used some of that last 30 seconds to try and get it closer. You know he had no confidence in his ability to hit from that range. And like a bad golfer, it was another worm burner.
Alabama's front gets all the credit but the bottom line is we got beat by three truly bad kicks.
As for positives, how about Jonathan Crompton and this coaching staff? I thought there was no way to turn his kid into an SEC quarterback. The previous staff could not do it. This staff has. The kid played an amazing game and other than the pick, he was golden. My hat is off to him.
Autochthonic writes:
Defense played great. Offense and Crompton played well against the best defense in the nation. I hope no one bad mouths Crompton because he played very well. Should have got a win.
Volon writes:
What I thought at first, but when they downed the ball, and the clock ran out the game was over.
schymtz writes:
schymtz writes:
in response to Witch_Doctor:
Witch Doctor say it MV for recruiting. Witch Doctor say first year goals clear. Witch Doctor say Vols look real with first year coach.
Bones never lie
Thank You, Doctor, for perspective. I feel bad for the team and especially for Lincoln, but Crompton scored the first TD vs. Buma since their Ky. game and this game was closer than any spread. Still, it hurts to lose to Buma.
dmcintosh writes:
No, Tebow is Verne's son, and I'm not Tebow.
tloutn writes:
Even though that would have been the right call, you can't call that penalty at that point in the game. With all of the emotion on the field at the time, you have to let that go.
smokeysal22 writes:
TN owned the 2nd half and Crompton played well against a beast of a defense. Man this one hurts but I am starting to believe in Kiffin.....
beaus27 writes:
Solve one problem(punt return), two emerge(O-line penalties & field goals)!
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
8-4 is possible, but Ole Miss looked good this week. As long as we get to a bowl, I'll be happy.
Razzle writes:
Wrong Jax, it was still a live ball even though time expired.
mdvol writes:
I agree Lawyer. Ball looked left all the way. Lincoln will get beat out next year by that 4 star kicker coming out of Fla.
AllVolAllDay writes:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ringleader writes:
The blocked kicks were very low, I am not sure they would have made it over the line if the defense just stood there. The first block, Alabama made no penetration. But still, first down on the six and you cannot drive it in, not much confidence in the running game. And, the best running back in Kansas, looked just like that.
bear65 writes:
Tennesee is a team on the rise Crumpton can throw that GA game was no fluke,today I was willing to accept defeat but today was'nt our day, but keep your head up I see good things happening in Knoxville.
DennisVols writes:
Tough way to lose a game. UT played solid against a great Bama team. In the end a loss is a loss in the record books. Special teams has cost this team at least 2 wins this season and needs to be addressed.
Got to love the way UT competes as a whole though. As the talent gets rebuilt along with depth you can just imagine what this coaching staff can do.
Keeping it Real
Go Vols!!!
DrJCrown_theMagicMan writes:
no one needs to chg ur name...YOU are a loser!
txvolsfan2 writes:
Great effort. Our special teams continue to disappoint. Penalties, while held in check during our other games, were huge today.
the_1_don#407478 writes:
I noticed it way before Vern had anything to say about it! In fact, I think a few commercials had played before they even mentioned it! Eat it Ja4x4! The play wasn't over until the whistle sounded!
kabulvol writes:
Actually it was not Verne that made that comment, Jax off. But, the big fat kid did take his helmet off immediately and the ball was still rolling around. But, after the officials have been suspended, there was no way they were gonna call that penalty. Plus, I think that since it was after the block then it didn't matter. Either way, I hope you didn't knock your trailer off the foundation when you jumped up in the air after the final play.
NorthwestVol writes:
What a game. Old time football. Feel for the team, but hopefully they can build from this effort.
The trend is in the right direction.
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
JC looked a lot more comfortable throwing the ball today. That one INT was inconsequential. Good game otherwise!
Autochthonic writes:
This just proves how much coaching matters. Crompton had all the ability in the world when he got to UT. They absolutely ruined him while the previous regime was in charge. This kid didn't deserve it. Ashamed he didn't have this opportunity all along.
IslandVol writes:
Headed to the bar to drink away the thought of Daniel Lincoln
BlakeyWakey writes:
So tired of people saying well that was a win in Lane Kiffins book.... THAT WASNT A WIN!!! DID WE WALK OF THE FIELD WITH A BETTER RECORD??? NOOOOOOOO!!!!! we walked off the field with a sorry special teams .. gah leeeee!! something always has to go wrong every game!! AAAAAAAAH!!! good game though...kinda
chadriddle#645749 writes:
I never would have imagined that two #1 ranked teams would beat them by only a combined difference of 12 points.
10eceeVol4ever writes:
Wow! what a game. I feel for the guy's, but the kicking game was atrocious. 1 field goal made out of the 3 missed......Give Coach Kiff credit for getting this team ready. Play calls were outstanding, Defense was great, and Jonathan Crompton looked better than he did last week against Georgia. I say that because Alabama's defense is so much better. This is a heart breaker, but better days are ahead. Now give Spurrier ulcers next weak.
USN_Vol3 writes:
Once again no one gave the Vols a chance to win. Most said we'd lose by 2 or 3 TDs but they played their hearts out and should have won the game. Championship teams get their share of the luck and it looks like Bama may have that this year like the Vols did back in '98.
Ahhhh special teams, special teams, special teams. Crompton should've kicked it, he did everything else pretty well today.
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