For the second-straight week, Tennessee overcame a sluggish offensive start to beat a rival in thrilling fashion. This time, the Vols showed signs of growth, their young redshirt freshman quarterback in particular.
In what began as a low-scoring defensive struggle, including Tennessee being shutout in the first half for the third-straight game and ended in a Nico Iamaleava leading a late touchdown drive to beat Alabama, 24-17 for the second time in three years.
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Iamaleava, who finished 14-of-27 passing for 194 yards, one touchdown and an interception, dropped a ball into the arms of wide receiver Chris Brazzell II in the end zone from 16 yards out to put the No. 11 Vols (6-1, 3-1 SEC) ahead for good with under six minutes left.
It was Iamaleava's first touchdown pass since the first quarter of Tennessee's win at Oklahoma in week 4 and one that keeps the Vols' College Football Playoff hopes alive as they enter the back-half of their schedule.
Here is everything Iamaleava said after the game.
On bouncing back in the second half after being shutout in the first
"We had a great message in the, um, in the locker room. We're glad our the way our guys came out and played second half. We need to come out and start fast in the first half. Can't get shut out like that anymore."
On first half offensive struggles
"I missed the shot to Squirrel (White) on the on the touchdown. I missed him and I think that if I hit that, you know, it gets our offense flowing and, you know, we're feeling a whole different type of way. So, I got to be better on that. But I'm proud of the way we bounce back in the second half."
On 55-yard pass to Dont'e Thornton Jr. that set up touchdown in third quarter
"We didn't get the the certain look we wanted. As I rolled out, I had seen that I still had a 1-on-1 matchup with (Thornton). And, you know, I trusted him to go make that play."
On Chris Brazzell II overcoming early drops to catch go-ahead touchdown
"Shoot. I'm I'm trusting my guys every time. It doesn't matter if they, you know, had a drop or not. I still got the most upmost confidence for our guys to go out there and get it done. And yeah, man. I trust my guy to go out there and make that play."
On coming out of the game for one series after getting hit in the first half
"I was good, man. The thing thing I did, it woke me up a little bit."
On what he told himself after struggling early
"Next play, you know, like Coach (Josh Heupel), that's something he's always preached. So, man, it you know, it's not going as we wanted in the first half, and we got to keep battling, keep going strong for our guys. And I'm glad, like I said, I'm glad, you know, the way we came out in the second half."
On if getting more involved in the run game was by design
"So it was big, man. I was kinda just letting the game come to me. I wasn't trying to force, you know, running the ball. But if I did get that look to where, you know, I got pressure and I had to step up, I had to go make a play set."
On team coming together in the second half
"Everything, man. You know, we got a tight locker room. I think we really came together, you know, even tighter after, you know, our Arkansas game. So I think our bond just, you know, has been strong through all throughout. We've been working since, you know, January, so it's been been a tight brotherhood since then."
On if he is comfortable running the ball
"Yeah, man. I love running the ball. You know, whatever coach type calls though, I'm a run it. So for sure."
On if not having time to change out of pads was because of postgame celebration
"It was a great time. Yeah. I couldn't couldn't get to my locker and take my stuff off. But, yeah, it was a great time in that locker room for sure."
On Josh Heupel calling defensive performance 'elite'
"Yeah, man. Those guys are our backbone, and we're going to continue to lean on them. We've got to put up a better performance and, you know, not have them on their heels the whole game for sure."
On confidence in running back Dylan Sampson
"Yeah, man. He's a dog, man. You know? Continues to be a dog. Whenever I hand the ball off, I I feel like it's going to go score. So it's good to have that confidence in a guy like that for sure."
On understanding the significance of beating Florida and Alabama in the same season
"Kind of. Yeah. Shoot, man. I know it means it's a lot. It's a big game for our fans, a big game for our community. And yeah, man. I'm super glad we get one. I think we got it done for sure."
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