Crimson Tide Not Just Blowing Smoke : SEC: Alabama defeats Tennessee, 17-10, for the seventh consecutive time and for the 18th of last 22.

One by one the Alabama players filed out of the visiting locker room of Neyland Stadium, many of them puffing happily on cheap cigars that sent wisps of smoke into the clear, chilly autumn air.

As usual, they were celebrating a victory, if not a tradition.

Come every third Saturday of October, the Crimson Tide develops this craving for tobacco. That’s because the late, great Bear Bryant started handing out mini-stogies to his players after every victory over Tennessee.

Years later, Alabama still can’t break the habit, and Tennessee still can’t break the streak. Saturday the two teams met for the 75th time, and as is almost always the case these days, the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide disposed of the Volunteers, 17-10.

If you’re keeping count--and they are in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and in Knoxville--the Crimson Tide has defeated the Volunteers seven consecutive times and 18 of the last 22 meetings.

Truth be told, the seven-point margin didn’t do the unbeaten Crimson Tide justice.

True, Tennessee (5-2) had a slim chance to tie or win in the final 75 seconds, but that was before Alabama free safety Chris Donnely intercepted a tipped Heath Shuler pass at the Alabama 37-yard line. It’s also true that Crimson Tide Coach Gene Stallings got a little greedy in the second half and almost paid for it.

But he didn’t pay.

Alabama had 16 more first downs, rushed for 351 yards, attempted only 11 passes, ran nearly 30 more plays and held the ball almost 14 more minutes.

On defense, the Crimson Tide, ranked near or at the top of almost every major NCAA statistical category, sacked Tennessee quarterbacks four times, allowed only three of 12 third-down conversions and held the Volunteers to 194 total yards.

If Stallings is lucky, his team might have persuaded a few Associated Press poll members to join lonesome Corky Simpson of the Tucson Citizen on the Alabama bandwagon. Entering Saturday’s game, Simpson was the only one to have spent his No. 1 vote on the Crimson Tide.

“I think we proved a little something to some people out there,” running back Derrick Lassic said.

Alabama (7-0) has all but clinched a place in the Southeastern Conference championship game and remains a major factor in the national championship race. Its schedule is favorable and its defense good enough to send offensive coordinators for cover.

“The front people make a world of difference,” said Tennessee offensive coordinator Phillip Fulmer. “Those two ends, (John) Copeland and (Eric) Curry, are going to be somebody’s first-round choices in next year’s (NFL) draft.”

Fulmer did what he could against the Crimson Tide, but it was too little, too late. By the time the Volunteers were able to sustain a drive or two, it was the fourth quarter and Alabama led, 17-3.

Doing most of the damage for the Crimson Tide was Lassic, who gained 142 yards in 33 carries and scored twice. This from a player who considered himself at “about 85%” physical capacity.

“My left hamstring bothered me some,” he said.

Lassic was blessed with an offensive line that continually pushed the Volunteers back. Lassic, who has gained more than 100 yards in three consecutive games, did the rest.

“They opened up holes that you wouldn’t believe,” Lassic said.

Tennessee believes.

“I wasn’t surprised by their offense,” Volunteer defensive tackle Jeff Tullis said.

About the only surprise came with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter. That’s when the usually conservative Stallings listened to his players on a fourth-and-two situation from the Tennessee three-yard line.

Rather than try a field goal and extend the lead to 20-3, Stallings decided to go for a touchdown. Considering how well his defense had played and how well his offense was running the ball, it seemed a safe enough choice.

Lassic was stopped for a one-yard loss.

“I was feeling badly about not going for the field goal down there,” Stallings said. “They wanted to go for it, but I knew better. I’ve been coaching longer than they’ve been playing.”

Tennessee got the ball, but didn’t score. Stallings was saved.

The Vols cut the lead to 17-10 with 12:53 left to play. Shuler found tight end David Horn in the back of the end zone, and it appeared Tennessee might manufacture a miracle comeback.

But Alabama would have none of it. When Tennessee recovered a fumble with 1:33 remaining, the Crimson Tide defense responded accordingly. They sacked Shuler on his first pass attempt and intercepted the second one.

So much for remarkable finishes.

Alabama cornerback Antonio Langham predicted this. Earlier in the week, Langham said, “We own Tennessee.” Volunteer fans and players threw a fit, but how could they argue, especially after Saturday’s result?

“I had one (Tennessee) player come up to me after the game,” said Langham. “He walked right up to me and said, ‘You were right.’ And then he kept on going.”

Now it was time for Langham to go, too. He had a team bus to catch, and a date with a cigar.

Said Langham, who smokes once a year: “I think this one will get a flame on the end of it.”