It’s a Tennessee Triumph in Alabama Return, 21-7

It hardly was the welcome-back party Alabama had planned on throwing.

Tee Martin ran for two touchdowns and passed for a third Saturday to lead No. 5 Tennessee to a 21-7 victory over No. 10 Alabama in the Volunteers’ first game at Tuscaloosa, Ala., in 69 years.

“It makes no difference where we play the game,” linebacker Eric Westmoreland said. “It was just a big win for Tennessee.”

The Vols, 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference, have won five straight over the Crimson Tide (5-2, 4-1). Afterward, Tennessee’s players held victory cigars and chanted “We own Alabama” as they left the field.

“We knew it was going to be a four-quarter physical football game,” Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer said. “I’m really proud of our offense; the defense played great all day long. I feel like we’re coming together and peaking at just the right time.”

Tennessee, the defending national champion, remained alive in a bid for an appearance in the Bowl Championship Series.

It ruined Alabama’s chances since the Tide lost to Louisiana Tech earlier this season.

“I said going in that Tennessee may be the best football team in the country and they didn’t do anything today to make me think otherwise,” Alabama Coach Mike DuBose said. “It was a disappointing loss to a very good football team.”

A crowd of 86,869--the largest to ever watch a football game in Alabama--was on hand for Tennessee’s return to Bryant-Denny Stadium.

By the time the game was over, only a few thousand Volunteer fans remained, saluting their team by singing “Rocky Top” as the players walked off the field.

The game was a defensive struggle until Martin led Tennessee on a game-breaking, fourth-quarter drive.

Trying to run as much time off the clock as possible while protecting a 14-7 lead, Martin marched the Vols 84 yards in 11 plays.

A personal foul penalty almost spoiled the drive, but Martin’s screen pass to Cedrick Wilson was good for 37 yards to move Tennessee deep into Alabama territory.

Two plays later, Martin broke open the game with a 21-yard touchdown run that put Tennessee up 21-7 with 8:26 remaining.

“Tee Martin was the difference,” Alabama cornerback Milo Lewis said. “We couldn’t contain him.”

Tennessee continued a season-long streak of not allowing a back to rush for 100 yards or score a touchdown.

Alabama tailback Shaun Alexander had 98 yards rushing and scored his only touchdown on a 26-yard pass from Andrew Zow.

No. 12 Mississippi St. 17, LSU 16--Rod Gibson scored from a yard out with 1:39 left as the Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0) remained unbeaten with a victory over the Tigers (2-5, 0-5) at Starkville, Miss., snapping a seven-game losing streak to LSU.

Gibson’s touchdown on fourth down ended a 14-play, 65-yard drive.

On LSU’s next possession, quarterback Josh Booty completed passes of 11 and 18 yards to Jerel Myers as the Tigers drove to the Mississippi State 46. The threat ended when a Booty pass was intercepted by Pig Prather with a minute left.

No. 14 Georgia 49, Kentucky 34--Quincy Carter passed for 304 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 87 as the Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1) used big plays to overpower the Wildcats (5-3, 3-2) at Athens, Ga.

Carter connected with Terrence Edwards on a 20-yard scoring play in the second quarter and opened the third quarter with an 80-yarder to Brett Millican, who made the catch alone in the right flat and sped untouched down the sideline for the score.

Vanderbilt 11, S. Carolina 10--Greg Zolman threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Todd Yoder with 7:16 left as the Commodores (5-3, 2-3) edged the Gamecocks (0-8, 0-6) at Columbia, S.C., extending the nation’s longest losing streak to 18 games.