Landon Collins channeled his inner Vinnie Sunseri with an interception returned for a touchdown late in the second half. It was Collins’ first career interception and he returned 89 yards.
“I’m at a lost for words,” Collins said. “I eyed it down. The wide receiver came straight to me and didn’t do anything else but break out, and I read the route because we practice that constantly. When I got my chance and opportunity to go for it, the quarterback threw it right into my hands. I had to go for the score after that.”
The play didn’t come as a surprise to cornerback Deion Belue.
“I’ve seen him do that 100 times in practice,” Belue said. “It didn’t surprise me. He broke on it, and he did the same thing he always does.”
The touchdown was made possible by defensive lineman Jeoffrey Pagan finishing the play and blocking Tennessee quarterback Justin Worley. Pagan ran at least 30 yards downfield and laid out to clear the way for Collins. Pagan said he took a “good lick” from Worley.
“Really I just wanted to sacrifice myself trying to help my teammate make a play,” Pagan said. “I saw that he made the interception and saw I was out front so I tried to lead as best I could to help him make a play.”
Lineman back: After three and a half games on the shelf with a knee injury, center Ryan Kelly returned to the lineup.
Kelly said he didn’t find out he was starting until Saturday morning.
“It came as kind of a last-minute decision,” Kelly said. “Chad (Lindsay) has obviously done a great job. At first, it’s a little bit different going back out there after being gone for three weeks. After the first couple of drives, got some positive plays, and we went out there and scored every time, it felt normal again.”
Kelly said his knee is “good.” He said he “took a little bit of a blow” to it on one play, but other than that, it felt good. He also said the training staff did a good job of getting him back healthy.
Kelly said the biggest difference is the camaraderie the unit has gained since the beginning of the season.
“At the beginning of the season, I told you guys that as games go along, the camaraderie is only going to get better,” Kelly said. “I could tell the difference in the chemistry that we have between each other.”
Stepping up: With nose tackle Brandon Ivory being out for "physical issues," other players had to step up. Guys such as Darren Lake played more than normal while Ed Stinson, A'Shawn Robinson and Pagan rushed from the middle more.
“I think the guys did a good job,” coach Nick Saban said. “Our biggest problem on defensive is that we gave up big plays. … I thought Lake played really well. A’Shawn Robinson keeps getting better and better and better. We moved Ed inside some. Jonathan Allen played some. So all of those guys did a nice job for us.”
Injuries: Ivory didn't play or dress and he wasn't seen on the sideline. Running back Jalston Fowler "got a concussion" in the first half and didn't come back in the game, Saban said.
Beyond those, Saban said he “doesn’t believe the team has any other physical issues.”
Cornerback Bradley Sylve (high ankle sprain) sat out, but dressed and was on the sideline. Freshman running back Altee Tenpenny (turf toe) played, but didn’t have a carry.
Kicker Cade Foster was “kicked in the shin,” and freshman Adam Griffith entered the game for kickoffs. Saban said it was precautionary to “make sure Cade didn’t have any further issues.”
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