DeSean Bishop Powers Tennessee Past Alabama 26-10

DeSean Bishop rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday, lifting No. 14 Tennessee to a 26–10 win over No. 6 Alabama at Neyland Stadium and handing the Crimson Tide a second straight regular-season defeat.

Alabama had not lost consecutive regular-season games since 2007. After falling to No. 1 Georgia the previous week, the Crimson Tide could not find an answer against a Tennessee defense that controlled the game from the opening quarter in front of 101,915 fans.

Defense and field goals

The Volunteers built their lead with four field goals from kicker Cooper Ranvier in the first half, taking a 12–10 advantage into the break. Alabama’s only touchdown came on a 19-yard run by quarterback Keelon Russell, who otherwise struggled to move the offense.

Tennessee put the game away in the second half. Bishop scored on a five-yard run in the third quarter and added another five-yard touchdown in the fourth after a 15-play, 72-yard drive that consumed more than nine minutes. The Volunteers’ ground game, built on Bishop’s 32 carries, steadily wore down the Alabama defense.

Alabama finished with just 201 yards of total offense, including 54 rushing, and turned the ball over four times. Russell threw for 147 yards with two interceptions and also lost a fumble as the Crimson Tide’s mistakes piled up. Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre was steady, passing for 197 yards and avoiding the costly errors that doomed his counterpart.

What it means

The win is Tennessee’s third in its last five meetings with Alabama, following a run of 15 consecutive defeats, and all three of those wins have come at home. At 6–1 and 3–1 in the SEC, the Volunteers have positioned themselves as a College Football Playoff contender and were expected to move into the top 10 of the next AP poll.

Alabama, now 5–2 and 3–2, faces mounting questions. The Crimson Tide played without team captain and receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, who was dealing with several injuries including a concussion, and the offense never found its rhythm. Alabama managed just 93 yards in the first half and failed to convert any of its seven third-down attempts before the break.

The Volunteers leaned on the formula that has worked for them: a stout defense and a reliable running game. Bishop also contributed as a receiver, finishing with 175 all-purpose yards as Tennessee’s most productive player. The team’s quarterback situation remains a work in progress, but on this night it was good enough.

Tennessee’s defence was the story of the afternoon. The Volunteers limited Alabama to its lowest yardage total of the season and forced four turnovers, repeatedly giving their offence short fields. The Crimson Tide’s inability to run the ball — just 54 yards on 26 carries — left quarterback Keelon Russell to operate behind a struggling line.

For Alabama, the defeat raises uncomfortable questions about an offence that has now stalled in consecutive games against ranked opponents. The team’s remaining schedule leaves little margin for error if it hopes to reach the College Football Playoff.

Alabama hosts Texas A&M next Saturday, while Tennessee travels to face South Carolina.

Sources

Reports from the Associated Press, the SEC, Tennessee Athletics and CBS Sports (October 2026).