KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- There was no Tennessee comeback.

Scratch that.

There was no chance of a Tennessee comeback -- not with Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin running this Alabama train.

Some of Tennessee's comeback magic was lost in last week's double-overtime loss at Texas A&M, but it completely vanished in the 49-10 thrashing the defending national champions handed the Volunteers in front of 102,455 at Neyland Stadium.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide dismantled No. 9 Tennessee in every area of the game. Alabama scored five offensive touchdowns, with three rushing TDs coming from freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts. Eddie Jackson took a punt 79 yards for a touchdown, and Ronnie Harrison snagged a Joshua Dobbs screen pass for himself and took it back 58 yards for a score.

Jalen Hurts ran for three touchdowns to key Alabama's rout of Tennessee. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Tennessee, the favorite all year to win the SEC East, might have been the best team Alabama has seen all season, yet the Volunteers failed to deliver any sort of sustained push back for the Tide. Even when Alvin Kamara's bullish 7-yard touchdown run in the second quarter cut Alabama's lead to 14-7, Hurts trotted into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown run two minutes later. After Hurts had his pass tipped by Shy Tuttle and corralled by SEC Player of the Year front-runner Derek Barnett a drive later, the Tide forced a three-and-out.

A week ago at Razorback Stadium, two Alabama staff members weren't convinced that they were working for the best team in the country. That feeling lingered after a 49-30 win over Arkansas, but it should dissipate with Saturday's shellacking.

Alabama, which has probably been the most underappreciated No. 1 team in a long time, flexed its championship muscles in its second straight road win over a ranked SEC team. Last week, the offense scooted up and down the field with ease, but the secondary lagged behind. This week, that offense continued to mercilessly pound its overwhelmed opponent (594 yards), but the defense followed the same path, limiting Tennessee to 163 yards, forcing two turnovers, registering three sacks and 10 tackles for loss and totally shutting down dual-threat Dobbs.

It was reasonable to expect this secondary to rebound in a major way Saturday, but it's the last part that's key because Tide-slayer Trevor Knight and Texas A&M are next in an epic rumble in Tuscaloosa next week. Remember, it was Knight who walked all over the Tide in the 2014 Sugar Bowl while with Oklahoma.

As for Tennessee, this team looked outmatched all afternoon against Alabama, and its players are dropping like flies. Thanks to injuries, Tennessee dressed fewer than 70 players on Saturday, and both lines were a patchwork crew.

The Vols might be looking up at Florida in the SEC East standings, but this race is far from over. The rest of the schedule is more than manageable, and Florida's passing game is still a comedy of errors. Plus, the Gators play Arkansas and LSU on the road.

Still, this game did nothing to help Tennessee's confidence, and the piling injuries could have a major effect on the Vols' finish.