Saturday’s battle of unbeatens between Alabama and Tennessee came down to the final seconds, but a trend continued for the Crimson Tide that some might say contributed to the loss.
Penalties.
Bama (now 6–1) committed a record 17 penalties in the SEC showdown in Knoxville, Tenn., giving up 130 yards in the process and despite controlling possession over four quarters (37:29 compared to UT’s 22:31).
While Alabama had been able to escape other mistake-filled games with wins so far this season, Tennessee (6–1) was able to capitalize with a last-second field goal in a 52–49 victory.