How Tennessee Vols can survive Alabama

Before assessing Tennessee’s chances against No. 1 Alabama (provide your own punch line), let’s review recent college football history, more specifically what happened Oct. 7 in Norman, Okla. 

Iowa State, a 31-point underdog, upset then-No. 3 Oklahoma. How did that happen?

Not by conventional means.

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Playing without their No. 1 quarterback, the Cyclones used the passing of backup Kyle Kempt and the two-way play of quarterback/linebacker Joel Lanning to knock holes in a bewildered Sooners defense en route to a 38-31 victory.

Tennessee (3-3, 0-3 SEC) should go to school on that.

Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not suggesting that the Vols should put linebacker Colton Jumper in the Wildcat and try to pound the Tide (7-0, 4-0) into submission at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS).

But I do recommend a nonconventional approach. I also recommend realistic goals.

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Upsetting Alabama isn’t a realistic goal. However, if the Vols take the right approach, they can come closer than last season, when Alabama waylaid them 49-10 at Neyland Stadium.

First of all, Tennessee needs to work the clock. That means slowing things down. Way down (i.e., never snap the ball with more than 3 seconds remaining on the play clock).

A shorter game is a better game for the Vols.

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With that in mind, throw only the safest of passes, sort of like the Vols did against South Carolina until they fell behind in the final minutes. Again, be time conscious. An incompletion stops the clock, and any passer longer than 10 yards probably will be an incompletion against Alabama.

Now, let’s move on to special teams.

UT never should attempt to return a kick or punt (why risk a fumble?). Fair catch punts and let the kicks sail through the end zone.

More:What happened on final drive that fell just short vs. South Carolina

On defense, the Vols should focus on not giving up big plays. Obviously that will be a challenge. But the longer it takes Alabama to score, the longer it will take for the game to get out of hand.

Also, Tennessee should avoid talking trash to Alabama players. Instead, praise them constantly. Say this repeatedly: “You’re even better than last season. And I didn’t think that was possible.”

If Tennessee follows those recommendations, I’m confident it will play Alabama a closer game than last season.

But let’s look beyond this Saturday. UT has five games remaining after Alabama and is capable of winning all five. Theoretically, it still could finish 8-4.

That’s why Tennessee shouldn’t play its best players against the Tide.

Feel free to express outrage. But when you’re finished, think about what happened to Florida State in its season opener: Quarterback Deondre Francois suffered a season-ending injury in a 24-7 loss to Alabama.

More:Butch Jones' strategy, red-zone woes among things we learned in Vols' loss to South Carolina

The Seminoles have since lost two more games.

Imagine if Francois hadn’t played in the loss to Alabama. With a healthy Francois, it still might be in the running for the national championship.

Tennessee can’t win Saturday. But maybe it can win the rest of the season if it handles Saturday the right way.

Reach John Adams at john.adams@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6284 and on Twitter @johnadamskns.

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