KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Johnnie Jones scored on a 1-yard run and quarterback Tony Robinson dived into the end zone for a two-point conversion with 2:09 leftSaturday to lift Tennessee to a 28-27 victory over Alabama.
Tennessee's go-ahead touchdown was set up by Andre Creamer's 45-yard punt return to the Alabama 11. Jones crashed in for the touchdown 4 plays to cut Alabama's lead to 27-26.
Tennessee Coach Johnny Majors elected to play for the win and Robinson ran an option play to his right, faked a pitch to Jones and plunged across the goal line for the go-ahead points.
Alabama took possession at its own 30 yard line after the kickoff, but quarterback Vince Sutton was intercepted two plays later by Tennessee cornerback Tommy Sims, who returned the ball to the Crimson Tide 34.
Alabama got the ball back at its own 22 with 24 seconds left but was unable to move the ball before time ran out.
Tennessee improved to 3-2-1 overall and 1-2 in the Southeastern Conference. Alabama fell to 2-5 and 0-3.
Alabama led 27-13 midway through the fourth quarter before Robinson tossed a 17-yard touchdown pass to wingback Tim McGee at the 4:54 mark to trim the Tide's lead to 27-20.
McGee's touchdown capped a 10-play, 70-yard drive, in which Robinson completed four passes for 61 yards.
Robinson completed 10 of 23 passes for 154 yards in the game. He threw an 8-yard scoring strike to Joey Clinkscales in the second quarter.
Alabama jumped out to a 10-0 lead on a 36-yard Van Tiffin field goal in the first quarter and Paul Ott Carruth's 4-yard TD run early in the second.
Robinson's touchdown pass to Clinkscales made it 10-7.
Alabama fullback Ricky Moore fumbled on the Tide's next possession and the Volunteers' Jim Dunkin recovered at the Alabama 15 to set up a 27-yard Fuad Reveiz field goal to make it 10-10.
Sutton connected with flanker Greg Richardson for a 68-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining in the half to give the Crimson Tide a 17-10 lead.
Carruth scored on a 12-yard run in the third quarter and Reveiz and Tiffen each hit field goals early in the fourth quarter before Tennessee's late rally.
The victory was Tennessee's third in a row against arch-rival Alabama after 11 consecutive losses to the Tide. Volunteer fans tore down both goal posts after the game.
Sutton completed 8 of 15 passes for 167 yards and Carruth rushed for 83 yards on 16 carries. Jones carried 20 times for 86 yards to lead Tennessee's ground attack.
