99-yard INT return helps Tide light up No. 11 Vols

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- There was inactive 5:49 remaining successful the 4th quarter, but the aerial wrong Bryant-Denny Stadium was already heavy with cigar smoke.

Zabien Brown returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown arsenic clip expired successful the archetypal half, and No. 6 Alabama rolled to a 37-20 triumph implicit No. 11 Tennessee successful the rivalry known arsenic the "Third Saturday successful October."

Brown's prime gave the Tide a 23-7 pb and was each Alabama's defence needed portion turning successful its champion show of the season. The Tide (6-1, 4-0 SEC) held the nation's highest-scoring discourtesy to conscionable 410 yards, good beneath its 529-yard average.

Ty Simpson completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception. He led 2 TD drives of 90-plus yards arsenic the Crimson Tide won their sixth consecutive game, including 4 successful a enactment against ranked opponents.

Alabama's last touchdown, a 4-yard tally by Daniel Hill with 5:49 remaining, ignited cigar fume from each absorption wrong Bryant-Denny Stadium -- a contented for the victors successful this rivalry.

For Tennessee (5-2, 2-2), Joey Aguilar completed 28 of 44 passes for 268 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. DeSean Bishop ran for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Alabama prevented backmost Tennessee from winning consecutive games successful the bid for the archetypal clip since 2003-04. Alabama has won 17 of 19 successful the rivalry.

Alabama's win, coupled with losses by No. 2 Miami and No. 5 Ole Miss, should propel the Tide into the apical 5 successful the adjacent AP Poll connected Sunday. Tennessee volition surely fall, on with No. 7 Texas Tech and No. 10 LSU.

The Volunteers' nonaccomplishment featured a fig of uncharacteristic statistics. They failed to people 30 points for the archetypal clip this season, and a defence that led the SEC successful sacks didn't grounds one.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.