6:58 - Another special teams blunder loses the game for Tennessee. The Crimson Tide block their second Daniel Lincoln field goal of the game, this one with four seconds remaining. Final score Alabama 12, Tennessee 10.

6:50 - Tennessee recovers the onside kick. Unbelievable bounce, unbelievable block by Bryce Brown on Julio Jones. What an ending. Tennessee is driving.

6:47 - Touchdown Tennessee. Jonathan Crompton connects with Gerald Jones on a drag route over the middle. The extra point is good (Daniel Lincoln kicks the ball through the tall white poles at the end of the field, what a concept). Alabama 12, Tennessee 10. An onside kick recovered by Tennessee is the Vols only hope.

6:43 - The first lost fumble of Mark Ingram's career gives Tennessee hope. Tennessee ball inside Alabama territory.

6:39 - Make that roughly 843 bad special teams plays on the year. After forcing Alabama to punt, Tennessee's Chris Donald was called for roughing the kicker. Unbelievable. Undisciplined. Tennessee does not deserve to win this game.

6:34 - What was that? A good special teams play? By Tennessee? Is that possible? It happened when Chad Cunningham's kick was downed at the Alabama 4 yard line. Make that one good play for the year. Roughly 842 bad.

6:25 - How important are special teams? This game is a perfect example of that. The difference in the game has been a capable kicker (Alabama's Leigh Tiffin) and an incapable kicker (Tennessee's Daniel Lincoln). Alabama 12, Tennessee 3. Plenty of time left in the fourth quarter, but if you ask me, that's too much of a momentum shift for Tennessee to overcome.

6:17 - Tennessee continues to self-destruct. After driving deep into Alabama territory, a holding penalty among other things ended another Volunteer drive without points. Daniel Lincoln's field goal attempt was blocked by Alabama's Terrance Cody. A huge momentum shift in favor of the Tide.

6:04 - Tennessee ends the third quarter on a high note. Crompton found an absolute w-i-d-e o-p-e-n Denarius Moore over the middle, moving the Vols to roughly around the Tide 30. This drive has to end in points (and preferably not a field goal) if Tennessee wants to be within striking distance.

5:54 - Another Tennessee drive ends in a punt. Tennessee was driving in Alabama territory before a sack on second down pushed the Vols out of anywhere near Daniel Lincoln's field goal range. The sack occurred on a Jonathan Crompton play-action, roll out. Think Saban and Co. saw picked up on that play from the Georgia game tape?

5:48 - Montario Hardesty is a man. That is all.

5:41 - Another three-and-out forced by Tennessee's defense. The Vols defense has done the job so far today, but the offense has to find a passing game. Keep in mind how the third quarter hurt Tennessee in a similar game against Florida. The Gators pushed around the Vols in the third quarter and wore Tennessee down. The Vols have to find a balanced attack on offense if they want this to be a game in the fourth quarter.

5:35 - Tennessee goes three-and-out on its first possession of the second half. The punt resulted in, guess what, another bad kick coverage play by Tennessee. Alabama's Javier Arenas returned the kickoff well into Tennessee's side of the 50 yard line. Not a good start to the half for the Vols.

5:09 - Tennessee ends the half with a dissappointing missed field goal by Daniel Lincoln from 47-yards out. That's been the story of Daniel Lincoln's career, though. Overall, a decent half of football played by Tennessee. Trailing 9-3 on the road against a very talented Alabama team is a small victory for Lane Kiffin's team.

4:57 - Alabama wore down Tennessee's defense with a mix of run and pass (and the Wildcat), but the Vols held the Tide to another field goal. The Vols defense can't be on the field that long and still be expected to keep stopping this Alabama offense. A field goal is a moral victory in that situation.

4:38 - For the first time in my life as a Tennessee fan (a.k.a my entire life), I just saw Tennessee stop a bubble screen. I had to pinch myself. That was the good news. The bad news was Leigh Tiffin connected on a 50-yard field goal to give 'Bama a 6-3 lead. Am I the only one nauseated by a 6-3 score in a Tennessee-Alabama game? If you're not, click here. And you will be.

4:29 - Daniel Lincoln made a 24-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3. Tennessee was unable to put the ball in the end zone after having a first down inside the Alabama 10 yard line. Does that remind anyone of anything? Tennessee needs to take advantage of scoring opportunities. Field goals won't beat this Alabama team.

4:27 - Crompton just connected with Denarius Moore on another slant to give Tennessee a first down on roughly the seven yard line. Did I call that or what? Let's see if Tennessee can capitalize deep in the Alabama red zone.

4:21 - Tennessee has suddenly put together a threatening drive as the first quarter comes to an end. Trailing 3-0. Crompton hit running back Montario Hardesty on a slant route to move the ball into Alabama territory. That makes two slant routes that Tennessee has completed for sizeable gains. Keep an eye on how many times the Vols are able to go back to that route when needed.

4:16 - After efficient use of the 'Wildcat' offense and a pass interference penalty against Dennis Rogan, Alabama was forced to settle for a field goal. Tennessee now trails 3-0 with 1:22 left in the first quarter. Tennessee can't help this high-powered Alabama offense by committing penalties. Those chunks of yardage given to Alabama will not be wasted by Nick Saban's team.

4:05 - Tennessee's second drive ends in a Jonathan Crompton interception. Marsalis Teague was the target of the play-action pass, but never seemed to be open. Crompton had time to deliver the pass, but it was overthrown. Keeping Crompton's confidence high is a key for Tennessee to win this game.

4:00 - Tennessee stopped Alabama on fourth down after the Tide had put together a couple of first downs. McElroy felt pressure from the four Volunteer rushers and dumped the fourth down pass to running back Trent Richardson. The pass was completed, but Richardson was about 5 yards short of the first down marker. Make that two stops for Monte Kiffin's defense. Tennessee will once again have favorable field position to start its second drive.

3:47 - Tennessee managed to get a first down before being forced to punt. It looked as if an Alabama defensive tackle came across the line of scrimmage prior to the ball being snapped, but no call was made. If that wasn't a penalty (as was the case on the field), that's the best jump I've ever seen from a defensive tackle in 21 years of watching football. Alabama will have the ball at the 20-yard line to start its second possession.

3:42 - Tennessee forces Alabama to go three-and-out on its first possession. Eric Berry sacked Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy on third down. Berry blitzed and came through untouched. Couldn't have asked for a better start defensively for the Vols.

Dennis Rogan returned the Alabama punt to around the 45 yard line. Good start for Tennessee in the battle for field position.

3:34 - Tennessee came on to the field wearing orange pants and white jerseys, the chosen road attire of Lane Kiffn's Vols. A lot was made in the weeks prior to this game of Tennessee requesting to wear orange jerseys on the road against Alabama. Though the NCAA did change the rule allowing both teams to wear colored jerseys (given that the colors are contrasting), Alabama denied Tennessee's request to wear orange jerseys today - not a big deal in my opinion. It's not like Vol fans would want Florida wearing its home blue jerseys at Neyland Stadium.

3:18 - Welcome to my in-game blog from the comfort of my own couch for today's contest between Tennessee and No. 1 Alabama (as voted by the AP). This game represents the opportunity to make a statement on a national stage for both teams. For the home-standing Crimson Tide, there's the chance to prove the Associated Press Poll right by pounding an inferior rival at home. For the Vols, there's the chance to hang with, or maybe even upset, the top-ranked team in the country on the road, while dashing any hopes of a National Championship--not to mention it's their most traditionally hated rival.

The last time we saw the Vols, it was an offensively balanced 45-19 route of Georgia at home, serving as the signature win of the Lane Kiffin Era thus far. For the Vols to find success today in Tuscaloosa, it begins and ends in the trenches. The offensive line will have to open up holes for Montario Hardesty and Tennessee's running game, and be able to pass protect long enough to allow quarterback Jonathan Crompton time to roll out of the pocket and find the open man--where he has proven to be most comfortable. All of this is easier said than done against one of the nation's top defenses. Stay tuned...