Patient MacIntyre picked Alabama apart underneath in Tennessee's 26-10 win

Tennessee's latest win over Alabama looked nothing like the 2022 classic. That game was a shootout that topped 100 total points; this one was a grind, and the Volunteers won it with patience. With a young quarterback running the offense, George MacIntyre's steady, unspectacular hand was right at the center of the 26-10 victory.

Alabama's defensive plan was to sit deep and take away the big play, daring Tennessee to sustain long drives one snap at a time. MacIntyre happily obliged. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 197 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, but the raw line undersells his day. Facing corners playing well off their receivers in zone coverage, he kept throwing short and outside, most often to Mike Matthews, who turned those catches into five to ten yards at a time and kept the chains moving.

MacIntyre said afterward that he focused on operating within the offense and getting the ball out, and that Tennessee cleaned up the penalties and small execution mistakes that had stalled drives in the first half. Josh Heupel praised his quarterback's decisiveness and even temper, noting that even after a tipped interception, MacIntyre's demeanor never changed and he went straight back to work on the next drive.

That is the version of MacIntyre Tennessee needs right now: not a hero, just a quarterback who takes what a defense gives him and keeps the offense on schedule. He has already helped navigate one tricky road finish at Arkansas and now owns a signature home win over Alabama. The next exam comes Saturday, when he takes this act on the road against South Carolina.