No. 4 Alabama 34, Tennessee 20: Amari Cooper caught nine passes for a school-record 224 yards and two touchdowns as the visiting Crimson Tide built a big lead and survived a strong push from the Volunteers.

Blake Sims completed 14-of-24 passes for 286 yards and the two touchdowns to Cooper, and he added 42 yards and a score on the ground. Derrick Henry anchored the ground attack with 78 rushing yards and a touchdown, while T.J. Yeldon added 52 yards and a score for the Crimson Tide (7-1, 4-1 SEC).

Tennessee quarterback Justin Worley did not play because of a shoulder injury suffered in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to Ole Miss, leaving sophomore Joshua Dobbs to take the majority of snaps and finish 19-for-32 for 192 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Dobbs also led the Vols (3-5, 0-4) in rushing with 75 yards.

Cooper had 185 receiving yards in the opening quarter, the most by an SEC player in any quarter in the last 10 years, highlighted by an 80-yard touchdown reception from Sims on Alabama’s first offensive play. The Crimson Tide then finished three of their next four drives with TDs to go up 27-0 with 12:03 left in the opening half.

The Vols found some footing with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Dobbs to Josh Malone, forced another punt and ended the first half with a 27-yard field goal from Aaron Medley to trim the deficit to 27-10. Tennessee managed to get back within 10 on a 9-yard TD pass from Dobbs to Von Pearson with 5:52 left in the third quarter, but Alabama quickly answered with Henry’s 28-yard TD run.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The previous school record for receiving yardage in a game was 221, held by Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones. … Alabama came in allowing an average of 63 rushing yards per game, which was second-fewest in the nation, but the Vols totaled 181 yards on the ground. … Alabama snuffed out Tennessee’s only fourth-down try, leaving the Crimson Tide as the only team in the nation that hasn’t allowed a fourth-down conversion.