Greg McElroy credits Tennessee’s DL for being ‘relentless’ in win over Alabama
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Greg McElroy bleeds crimson and white as a former Alabama national championship-winning quarterback.
But on Monday afternoon, in his Always College Football podcast, McElroy the college football analyst paid tribute to one of the Crimson Tide’s fiercest rivals in Tennessee, which took down the Crimson Tide, 26-10, in Week 7 in a dominant show of force at Neyland Stadium.
It was the Volunteers’ third straight victory over the Tide at Neyland Stadium, and it was a victory that came with a lot of ingredients. The biggest one, for McElroy, was the play of Tennessee’s defensive line, which helped hold the high-octane Alabama offense in check all day.
Bama had just 12 first downs, 201 total yards and 54 yards rushing. The Tide also possessed the ball for barely over 24 minutes and turned the ball over 4 times.
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Tennessee had a lot to do with the Tide’s shortcomings, and specifically that defensive line that McElroy paid tribute to 2 days after the monster victory.
“Tennessee beat Alabama the way Alabama used to beat everybody. Why did the game go the way it went? Tennessee’s defensive line was relentless in this game. They pressured Keelon Russell on 23 of his 39 drop backs. And under that pressure, Russell went 7 of 13 for 58 yards. He also had an interception. He also took five sacks,” McElroy said.
“So, Tennessee finishing with five sacks, 10 tackles-for-loss and four takeaways. That was the difference. Tennessee’s defense was unbelievable in this game.”
Tennessee will try to keep rolling this week, but it’ll have to do it on the road against South Carolina. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the Volunteers’ chances to keep their momentum going in Columbia on Saturday:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
