Alabama Survives Tennessee 12-10, Cody Blocks Game-Winning Field Goal

Tuscaloosa, AL (Sports Network) - Alabama’s Terrence Cody blocked a 44-yard field goal attempt as time expired, and the top-ranked Crimson Tide survived Tennessee, 12-10, in an SEC tussle.

Jonathan Crompton finished off Tennessee’s previous series with an 11-yard TD pass to Gerald Jones with 1:19 to go. The Vols came up with the onside kick at the 41, and Jones made a 14-yard catch into ‘Bama territory on second down.

Following a false start penalty and an incompletion, Luke Stocker made a 23- yard catch to the Tide 27 with four seconds left, and a rush for minus-one yard set up a potential game-winning field goal from Daniel Lincoln, but the try was blocked before it was airborne.

“I just knew we had to make a play. I had to make a play,” said Cody. “We couldn’t wait on anybody else to make a play. If they would have made the field goal, it would’ve been a tight game or they would’ve won it, so I dug down deep and told myself I was about to block it. The ball snapped, I got a good jump off the line, pushed the guy back and just stuck my arm up.”

Greg McElroy finished 18-of-29 for 120 yards, and Leigh Tiffin booted four field goals for the Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0 SEC), who are off next week before hosting LSU on November 7. Mark Ingram rushed 18 times for 99 yards for the Crimson Tide, who entered the week No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, just behind Florida.

Crompton was 21-of-36 for 265 yards, one score and a pick for the Volunteers (3-4, 1-3), who have dropped two of three. Jones wound up with seven receptions for 72 yards in defeat.

“It’s a difficult loss to deal with,” said Vols coach Lane Kiffin. “You come into a hostile environment and play the No. 1 team in the country, as I said before by far the No. 1 team in the country and the best-coached team around. You come in here and outgain them I think by over 100 yards and miss three field goals. I’m really proud of how hard our players played. I don’t believe in moral victories, we should have won that game.”

An interception by Mark Barron at the Alabama 19 led to the Crimson Tide’s first score, a 38-yard field goal by Tiffin with 1:22 remaining in the opening quarter.

Lincoln split the uprights from 24 yards away with 11:38 remaining in the second quarter, but Tiffin moved Alabama back in front with a 50-yarder with nearly eight minutes left in the half.

A 22-yard boot by Tiffin capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive, moving the hosts to a 9-3 edge with 1:11 to go in the second quarter.

Lincoln’s 47-yard field goal at the end of the half came up short, and his 43- yard try early in the fourth was blocked.

Tiffin’s 49-yard kick on the ensuing possession moved the Tide to a 12-3 edge, until the game got tight in the dramatic final minutes.

Tennessee’s touchdown came after Ingram fumbled the ball away.

Montario Hardesty had 18 rushes for 48 yards for Tennessee...The Crimson Tide lead the series against the Vols, 47-38-7. Alabama has its first three-game series winning streak since capturing seven straight games with the Vols from 1986-92...The Vols host South Carolina next Saturday night.

Via Sports Network