The One Mistake Tennessee Couldn't Afford to Make Against Alabama

Before Tennessee ever kicked off against Alabama, one warning framed the Vols' week: there was a specific mistake this team could not afford to make against the Crimson Tide.

Pregame caution pieces like this one exist because rivalry games punish errors more than most. Against an Alabama team built to capitalize on a lapse, Tennessee's margin for error was thin, and the article zeroed in on the single pitfall the Vols had to avoid to have their chance.

In the end, Tennessee steered around it on the way to a 26-10 win — a third straight victory over Alabama in Knoxville. The warning reads differently in hindsight: as the thing the Vols successfully avoided on their way to the season's biggest result.