The Tennessee Vols dominated the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday.

Tennessee wasn’t perfect — the Vols had to settle for field goals in the first half — but the defense was lights out and the offense stepped up in a huge way in the fourth quarter with a nine-and-a-half minute drive that essentially put the game away.

The Vols, which moved to 6-1 with the 26-10 win, are very much in the College Football Playoff hunt moving forward, while Alabama now has little room for error with two losses so far this season.

Kalen DeBoer had a loud message for his team after the loss to Tennessee

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked after the game what his message is for his team, which was an 8.5 point favorite over Tennessee on Saturday.

DeBoer admitted that things are going to get “uncomfortable.”

“I just said it’s going to be really uncomfortable,” said DeBoer when asked for his message to his team. “Everything that I said to those guys — it’s not like I didn’t feel like they didn’t practice [well during the week]. We had a lot of motivation to come back (after losing to Georgia last week) and have a great week, and prepare for this game.

“But moving forward, it’s gonna be another level of uncomfortable. A lot of guys haven’t been through the last year or last two. I know they feel it. Our older guys have mentioned that even a couple weeks ago, just what it’s gonna be like here in this stretch.”

Alabama is in a tough spot now. They still have to play at LSU in a couple of weeks, and you never know what will happen in the Iron Bowl against Auburn (the Tigers knocked off Georgia on Saturday). It’s very possible they could miss the playoff.

For years, Tennessee was the team in a bad spot after this game. But the Vols have flipped the script in this rivalry — by protecting home field — under Josh Heupel.

And man, it feels good for Tennessee fans.