DeSean Bishop, Defense Carry No. 14 Tennessee Past No. 6 Alabama, 26-10
Bishop ran for 159 yards and both touchdowns, Cooper Ranvier made four field goals, and the Vols forced four turnovers to hand Alabama its second straight loss.
Knoxville, Tenn. DeSean Bishop ran for 159 yards and both touchdowns, Cooper Ranvier kicked four field goals and No. 14 Tennessee's defense smothered No. 6 Alabama in a 26-10 win Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
The Volunteers (6-1, 3-1 SEC) won their third straight game. Alabama (5-2, 3-2) gained 201 yards, turned the ball over four times and converted 2 of 13 third downs. It was the Crimson Tide's second loss in a row after falling to No. 1 Georgia a week earlier, and the AP noted it was Alabama's first stretch of consecutive regular-season losses since 2007.
Tennessee has now won three of its last five against Alabama, all three at home, after losing 15 in a row in the series, according to the AP. Alabama came in as a 7.5-point favorite, per the DraftKings line listed by ESPN.
Defense, suffocating, elite performance. Really proud of those guys.Josh Heupel, via the Associated Press
The first half: four kicks and five turnovers
Tennessee opened with a 12-play, 63-yard drive that stalled at the Alabama 12, and Ranvier hit from 29 yards.
Alabama's first series lasted 17 seconds. On third-and-10, Jeremiah Telander sacked Keelon Russell and forced a fumble that Tyree Weathersby recovered. Tennessee took over at the Alabama 19 and settled for Ranvier's 33-yarder.
After an Alabama punt, Ranvier added a 41-yarder, and Dejuan Lane intercepted Russell at the Alabama 43 on the next series. Tennessee led 9-0 after one quarter but could not turn that pick into points.
Alabama's touchdown came off a gift. Ivan Taylor intercepted George MacIntyre on the first snap of a drive and returned it inside the Tennessee 20, and Russell ran 19 yards for a score on the next play to make it 9-7.
Ranvier answered with a 34-yarder at the end of another 12-play drive. Alabama then recovered a fumble on a Tennessee punt return at the Vols' 23 but came away empty when Lane recovered Daniel Hill's fumble on fourth-and-1 at the Tennessee 14. Conor Talty's 42-yard field goal with 5 seconds left made it 12-10 at the break.
Alabama had 93 yards and went 0 for 7 on third down in the first half, according to the AP.
The second half: two drives, two touchdowns
The game turned on Alabama's opening drive of the third quarter. The Tide moved from their own 25 to the Tennessee 40 in 10 plays, then went for it on fourth-and-1. Telander and the Tennessee front stopped Hill for no gain.
Tennessee went 60 yards in nine plays, and Bishop scored from the 5 with 5:05 left in the third quarter for a 19-10 lead.
The clincher was a 15-play, 72-yard drive that took 9:32 off the clock in the fourth quarter. Bishop finished it with another 5-yard touchdown run with 3:17 left. Alabama's last threat ended when Kayin Lee intercepted Russell in the end zone with 55 seconds to go.
Bishop had 64 rushing yards at halftime and 95 after it, the AP reported. He carried 32 times.
Tennessee 26, Alabama 10
- Total yards
- Tennessee 347, Alabama 201
- Rushing
- Tennessee 41 for 150, Alabama 26 for 54
- Third down
- Tennessee 6 of 15, Alabama 2 of 13
- Fourth down
- Tennessee 1 of 1, Alabama 1 of 3
- Turnovers
- Tennessee 2, Alabama 4
- Sacks
- Tennessee 5, Alabama 1
- Time of possession
- Tennessee 35:44, Alabama 24:16
Individual numbers
MacIntyre, making his second straight start, completed 21 of 31 passes for 197 yards with one interception. Mike Matthews caught seven passes for 85 yards.
The quarterback change traces to the Texas game. Saturday Down South reported Tuesday that true freshman Faizon Brandon hurt his shoulder in the second quarter of that loss and was ruled out shortly before the Arkansas game. Brandon returned to practice this week, per On3's Pete Nakos, but did not throw a pass Saturday, according to the ESPN box score.
Ranvier went 4 for 4 on field goals and 2 for 2 on extra points, accounting for 14 points.
Telander and Weathersby each had two sacks, and Arion Carter added one. Amare Campbell led the Vols with eight tackles. Lane finished with an interception and a fumble recovery.
Russell completed 19 of 29 passes for 147 yards with two interceptions and lost a fumble. Alabama's leading rusher, Hill, had 34 yards on seven carries.
Up next
Tennessee visits South Carolina on Oct. 24. The Gamecocks are 3-3 and 1-3 in the SEC and were off this weekend after a 38-19 win at Florida on Oct. 10.
Alabama is home against Texas A&M next Saturday.
Sources: No. 14 Tennessee hands No. 6 Alabama second straight loss, 26-10 (AP via ESPN); Alabama vs. Tennessee box score and play-by-play (ESPN); Alabama falls to Tennessee 26-10 (FOX10); Faizon Brandon returns to practice ahead of Alabama game, per report (Saturday Down South); South Carolina Gamecocks 2026 schedule (ESPN)
