Pregame notes: This rivalry is one of the oldest in college football. Both teams started play in 1901 and have played every season since 1944. Alabama leads the all-time series 44-38-7. The Crimson Tide has suspended five players for violation of institutional policy. The players are offensive linemen Antoine Caldwell, Marlon Davis, running back Glen Coffee and defensive backs Marquis Johnson and Chris Rogers. The Crimson Tide is currently tied with Auburn and LSU for first in the SEC West while the Vols are tied for second with Kentucky in the SEC East.

12:34 p.m.: Set to kickoff, Vols won the toss and will receive. Alabama goes with trickery and catches the UT special teams unit off guard with an onside kick. Bama recovers.

12:39: Despite the onside kick the defense prevents the Bama offense from getting six points and hold them to a 39-yard field goal. 3-0 Tide just under two minutes into the game.

12:42: Alabama actually kick it deep and LaMarcus Coker sets up the UT offense at the 30 yard line.

12:46: Alabama brings Simeon Castille on a third down blitz and he is able to hit Erik Ainge's arm forcing an incompletion. Vols punt it out of bounds and turn it back over to the Tide at the 15-yard line. Score still 3-0 Alabama.  

12:51: The Vols' pass defense is still looking suspect as they give up a 43-yard gain off playaction to D.J. Hall. Hall leaves the field with an apparent injury but returns a few plays later.

12:59: The Tennessee defense is losing focus. Two critical penalties on this drive, an offsides on fourth-and-inches and roughing the passer on third down, bring up a fresh set of downs. Alabama puts the new set of downs to use and Terry Grant scores a touchdown on a catch out of the backfield from John Parker Wilson. 

1:09: Tennessee offense makes their way to the redzone for the first time with good run blocking and good vision by Arian Foster. Austin Rogers draws a pass interference penalty in the end zone setting the Vols up with a huge chance.

1:10: Foster finds the end zone on the very next play. Daniel Lincoln's PAT is good, bringing the score to 10-7.

1:12: Bama regains some of the momentum as Javier Arenas has an outstanding kick return for 66 yards to the Tennessee 34-yard line.

1:15: Leigh Tiffin misses a 48-yard field goal as the defense stands strong again. The Vols appear to have stabilized themselves in this hostile environment.

1:20: Ainge uses a playaction fake to Foster and throws it to the running back up the sideline as he runs into the endzone. A block in the back wipes the touchdown off the board, though. The Vols still have the ball inside the Bama 10-yard line as the opening quarter comes to a close.

1:25: Ainge uses another playaction fake to open the second quarter and throws a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Luke Stocker, marking the freshman's first career touchdown grab.

1:32: Wilson fumbles the shotgun snap on third-and-three but is able to pick it up and run for the first down to extend the Bama drive.  

1:38: Wilson finds DJ Hall coming out of the slot for the score on third-and-goal from the 16-yard line. 17-14 Tide as Tennessee gives up another third-and-long. Injury update: Josh Briscoe is out for the game with a head injury.

1:45: Austin Rogers catches a crucial pass on second-and-nineteen after a holding call. Big play from Rogers who has struggled catching the ball on occasion this year. 

1:48: The Bama defense holds strong, stopping the Vol offense on third-and-short. Vols get flagged for illegal formation on the punt and Bama takes the first down instead of forcing the re-kick.

1:53: DJ Hall already has nine catches for 128 yards with over five minutes left in the first half. He and Wilson together are torching the Vol defense.

2:00: Defense is getting worked on third downs, as they have allowed the Crimson Tide to convert five out of nine third downs. Bama has picked up 15 total first downs in this half.

2:05: Jonathan Hefney intercepts Wilson's pass in the endzone off a deflection, but it is wiped out by a pass interference call on Eric Berry. DJ Hall catches his second touchdown on the next play. Tiffin's PAT is good as Bama leads 24-14 with 12 seconds left in the half.

2:14: Daniel Lincoln converts the 45-yard field goal to bring the score to 24-17. The Tide handed the Vols that field goal with penalties. Bama goes on offense after halftime so getting some points on the board was very important.

2:17: Halftime notes-- If the Vols expect to win this game in the second half, one of their key adjustments needs to be discipline. They were penalized eight times for 46 yards and each call was big. They have to stop Alabama on third down as well. The Tide has converted over half of their third downs and even converted a fourth down. It's hard to stop someone when you are on the field for long periods of time. The Volunteer offense has only had the ball for 12 minutes and 19 seconds. Erik Ainge is 12-14 with 158 yards passing and a touchdown. Arian Foster is the team's leading rusher and receiver with eight carries for 49 yards and two catches for 55 yards. On Alabama's side, John Parker Wilson is 20-28 for 209 yards and three touchdowns. DJ Hall is eating the secondary up with 10 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Terry Grant has 11 carries for 54 yards and caught Parker's other touchdown.  

2:39: UT defense looks good coming out of halftime holding Bama's offense to three-and-out. Hefney doesn't field the punt and the Vols take over at their own 18-yard line.

2:43: Austin Rogers is showing some consistency today as he catches another long pass to give a new set of downs to the offense.

2:47: Ainge throws a rare interception. Kareem Jackson picks it at the Bama 7 and returns it to the 38, ending the Vols chances of evening the score for now.

2:58: The Crimson Tide's offense makes adjustments this drive and advances into the UT red zone. UT comes up with another bend but don't break and holds Bama to another field goal. Tide leads 27-17 midway through the third quarter.

3:01: Freshman Dennis Rogan takes a lick on kickoff return and loses his helmet as he is stopped at the 28-yard line. The Vols really need some points on this possession.

3:05: Tide defense prevents the Vol offense from crossing midfield and Britton Colquitt comes on and punts it 52 yards into the end zone.  

3:08: DJ Hall is running circles around the Vol secondary. He just caught a 30-yard pass giving him 12 catches for 179 yards. He's really hurting them on the corner route off the playaction pass.

3:13: Tiffin comes on for another field goal and pushes the score to 30-17. Alabama continues to take time off the clock and the Tennessee defense has yet to show the ability to slow down Wilson and Hall.

3:17: Once again the Bama defense holds the Tennesssee offense in check. Good pressure from the secondary helped them that drive. 

3:19: I'm really not understanding why the Vols aren't running the ball more. Foster and the O-line are doing good things. Let them wear down the Bama defense and set up playaction. Third quarter comes to a close and it will be interesting to see if the Vols can respond on a consistent basis if they want to stay in the SEC East race. Key third down play for the Vol defense to open the fourth quarter.

3:23: What a shock! Alabama converts third down for another first. It seems as if the Vol D does not have any pride.  John Parker Wilson has a career-high 342 passing yards with 14 minutes left in the game.

3:28: Another touchdown for Alabama's Terry Grant. This one comes on the ground as a halfback draw is called to counter Tennessee's zone defense. Bama goes for two and DJ Hall finds himself wide open in the back of the end zone for an easy two points and a 38-17 Crimson Tide lead. How does one person continually get open? Do we have anybody with the smarts to cover this guy??  

3:38: The Vols are forced to go for it on fourth-and-three. Receivers dropping balls do not help you get back in the game. Low snap forces Ainge to scramble from pressure and he ends up throwing it out of bounds. Turnover on downs. The fat lady is singing loud and clear.  

3:41: DJ Hall just set a new single-game school record for catches with 13 for Alabama. He and Wilson have absolutely shredded the Vols from the opening drive of the day.

3:46: Bama gets some points out of the drive with a 44-yard field goal by Tiffin to extend the lead to 41-17.

3:51: Ainge and the offense fail to convert another third down. They are six for 11 on the day which is a good stat ,but it just has not enough to beat this Alabama team who will probably run the clock now. I hope they do because this is sad.  

3:58: Jonathan Crompton is in getting some snaps at quarterback in this blowout. After completing his first attempt, Crompton ends throws a pick with 1:28 remaining, his second of the year.  

4:00: Finally this debacle is over. Bama handles business winning 41-17 and will still be tied for first place in the SEC West with the winner of Auburn/LSU tonight. The Vols will be pulling hard for Kentucky to defeat Florida as that would leave the Vols in control of their own destiny in the SEC East race.

Postgame thoughts

Ainge finished with 242 yards passing, going 22 for 35 with one touchdown and one interception. Foster had 13 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown. That is a seven-yard-per carry average but we didn't see the ball in his hands enough after the opening quarter, as eight of his carries came in the first 15 minutes. You can say the score changed the playcalling for the Vols but in the second and third quarters it was close enough to still run the football. Foster also finished with four catches for 74 yards.

John Parker Wilson had an incredible day, completing 32 of 46 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns. DJ Hall had a career day with 13 catches for 185 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Terry Grant led Bama's rushing attack with 22 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.

It was clear today that the defense that dominated the Georgia Bulldogs two weeks ago stayed in Knoxville. The offense could not get anything done when they had a chance to get on the field which was rare. This team really needs to get back to the basics like they did before Georgia if they expect to have any chance at the SEC East title.