No. 2 Alabama holds a 21-10 lead over Tennessee at the break in Tuscaloosa. But, in more pressing matters than the game at hand, Tua Tagovailoa left the game with an ankle injury and was taken to the locker room for evaluation.
The Alabama Heisman candidate was actually the second starting quarterback to leave the game. Tennessee’s Brian Maurer was taken to the locker room in the first quarter.
Before he left the game, Tagovailoa completed 11-of-12 passes for 155 yards and an interception. His interception came on first-and-goal and hit Tennessee’s Nigel Warrior in the chest, who raced the ball 59 yards from the goal line to the Alabama 41. Tennessee capitalized with a 2-yard Maurer run, tying the score at 7-7 with 4:21 left in the first quarter.
Alabama scored touchdowns on its next two drives, finding paydirt on a 9-yard Brian Robinson, Jr., run and a 1-yard Najee Harris plunge.
Tennessee threatened to tie the game down 14-7, pushing to a 1st-and-goal from the 10, but the Vols went backwards and settled for a 37-yard Brent Cimaglia field goal.
Mac Jones entered and completed 2-of-5 passes for 34 yards, leading a late drive to set up a 41-yard Joseph Bulovas field goal try just before the halftime gun, but the kick was wide left.
