The Tennessee Volunteers travel to Lexington today to take on the Kentucky Wildcats at 7:30 on the SEC Network.
In an age where the term is overused, this may actually be a must-win game for Butch Jones. He’ll have to do it with an offense that has spent much of the season stumbling around in the dark, drunk, with a shotgun pointed at its own feet, and he’ll have to do it without reserve offensive lineman Jack Jones, without star running back John Kelly and backup linebacker Will Ignont, and without former starting quarterback Quinten Dormady ready if something happens to Jarrett Guarantano.
The good news is that for a guy whose teams play too many close games, Butch Jones has dominated Kentucky. Tennessee is also much more talented, and Kentucky’s stats prove that they’re not Alabama. If the Vols can do these five things, they can win.
That said, the Vols are 5.5-point underdogs, and the GRT Statsy Preview Machine and all of the other stat models like Kentucky to win in a close one.
While you’re waiting for kickoff, download and listen to our game preview podcast, submit your answers to our weekly GRT Guessing Game, and use our handy college football TV schedule and rooting guide for Vols fans to enjoy the rest of the day.
Go Vols.
- Kickoff: Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV: SEC Network
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Go Vols!!!!!
Woo, Ty Chandler!
Now if only we can get in the end zone on a play that isn’t negated by a penalty.
Once again on the 1 yd line and get a penalty
Yep, and it’s a different person every time. Argh.
At this point , I think someone has an authentic voodoo doll out there. This has gotten ridiculous.
Yeah, it’s like trying to get two magnets together when they’re reversed from each other. The end zone pushes us away, and the closer we get, the stronger the force.
Fumble
I knew it!!!!
Running game actually looking good.
Also, did I see Jones with a small play sheet earlier? Wonder if maybe he’s calling plays.
Just as the play stalls and we miss a field goal.
He may be. He’s playing for his job at this point.
Defense is looking sloppy.
Thinking the same thing. Wonder how much energy they spent last week and if they’ve recovered yet
Yeah. Some bad alignments too I think.
That’s the second time he’s run through the
middle of the line only to find nobody in the backfield.
Don’t they teach these kids NOT to block in the back?
Sigh….
Heh. You too, huh?
Good stop finally.
Okay. Let’s see if we can put together a drive without any penalties.
Both Chandler and Fils Amis (?sp?) are doing great
Wait…….
Oh no. We are on the 1 yard line again.
I knew it. Voodoo doll time.
No more room left for any more pins, apparently.
I can’t watch
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!! TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE!!!!!!
I guess I can’t watch when they’re on the 1 yd line anymore.
Nice drive! Great to see we can still score TDs.
Yes. Although now that we have one, I want two.
Wish granted!
It’s like pizza. Now I want three.
Got to stop Snell. And someone please stuff that Wildcat sound effect somewhere.
Yeah. I think that’s actually on Shoop. The alignment has us confused.
Woo, CFA!
Receivers need to get open.
Once again, the 1 yd line. I promise I won’t look.
YES!!!!!! TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!
Well, that’s the game plan now, I guess. 🙂
Hey, look. When you go under center and hand it to the running back at the one-yard-line, you end up in the end zone. That and playing Kentucky instead of Alabama and Georgia.
Bituli?
That looked like crap on first look.
What the heck did Butuli do?
I gues he could have mouthed off
Blocking. Late, I guess.
Crap. Can’t push back.
Fumble woo!
Vols lead, 23-21.
Fumble *4
He was open. Just overthrew him.
Another red zone possession turned into 3 by penalties.
Something’s wrong with Warrior’s hand. Broken finger?
Looked like something like that. Hopefully, just a muscle cramp
Good stop by the defense there.
They keep making mistakes like that, they’re going to make this a close game they can lose.
We’re not going to have a defense left if they keep this up.
Can we just leave Butch in Lexington
Sigh… great throw by Jarrett.
Just a few yards short. Should not have given up that score just before, and shouldn’t have self-destructed on offense the couple of possessions prior. I guess we’ll see what happens this week.
Another sad day on Rocky Top… many failed opportunities, but the offense came alive sorta’. Go Vols!
Yeah, there are some positives. Guarantano has potential and just needs experience and some help. Ty Chandler (and the other backs, too) are good, and with John Kelly, that makes a good stable. The defense made adjustments at the half.
Lots of bad, too, though. It was nice to see a few touchdowns, but there was still way too many penalties at key times that turned into field goal attempts, and then we missed two of those. Receivers need to do more to get open. Offensive line needs to give the QB more time to throw. Play-calling still an issue, I think. Player discipline an issue maybe, although I didn’t really like those calls, especially giving everybody one strike to begin with because you can’t identify the players involved in the initial incident.
I wonder what the whole McElwain thing will do to Tennessee’s own timeline for making important decisions.
I thought the blanket team unsportsmanlike call was fulmerized. That shouldn’t have happened. Kentuckys bench may have mostly cleared, but ours certainly didn’t. The refs should have done their jobs there and not taken the easy way out.