A Fumble and a Fake Punt
Tennessee 24 Kentucky 14
27 Nov 2010 | Neyland Stadium | 101,170
Recap | Boxscore | Play-by-play | Drive Chart*****
Everything changed with a fumble.
This Win’s For You
Kentucky vs. Tennessee | 27 Nov 2010 | Neyland Stadium
12:21 pm EST | SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Let’s not forget what Saturday really is.
Kevin Cooper, Chad Cunningham, Savion Frazier, Gerald Jones, Daniel Lincoln, Ben Martin, Denarius Moore, Nick Reveiz, Jerrod Shaw, Luke Stocker, Victor Thomas, LaMarcus Thompson, Chris Walker, Gerald Williams, and Tyler Wolf.
These are the senior lettermen. These are The Group That Never Quit, so eloquently named by senior wide receiver Gerald Jones.
Vandy is Candy
Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee | 20 Nov 2010 | Vanderbilt Stadium/Dudley Field
7:30 pm EDT | CSS / ESPN3.com
Vandy’s entertaining head coach Robbie Caldwell summed up the state of his 2-8 Commodores quite succinctly:
“We haven’t been creating turnovers defensively, we haven’t moved the ball until right here recently offensively. Unfortunately our bright spot has been our punt team. That’s the one thing you don’t want to have showing good signs.”
A Day in the Sun
Tennessee 52 Mississippi 14
13 Nov 2010 | Neyland Stadium | 96,044
Recap | Boxscore | Play-by-play | Drive ChartThe Tennessee Vols looked like a bunch of youngsters with their whole lives ahead of them, without a care in the world. The Ole Miss Rebels looked old, tired, confused, and not up to the challenge.
As predicted, Tyler Bray used a beautiful autumn afternoon to cement his place as the Vols’ QB. All he did was display a cool, calm, almost a caution-to-the-wind demeanor, throwing 18-of-34 for 323 yards, 3 TDs, and no INTs.
Furthermore, he gave this football program a fresh coat of beautiful, orange paint. Yes, he made mistakes today, including many throws that were not nearly as accurate as desired, but he made some drop-dead, beautifully-paced throws to receivers who are beginning to believe that Christmas happens every Saturday.
After all, Santa Claus is now a tall, skinny dude from the southern San Joaquin Valley.
Good Fight, But Little Might
Florida 31 Tennessee 17
18 Sep 2010 | Neyland Stadium | 102,455
Recap | Boxscore | Play-by-play | Drive Chart
Tennessee brought a 60-minute game to the Florida Gators Saturday afternoon, but in the end, it was an audacious call by Urban Meyer, and Florida’s ability to continually respond to the Vols’ best efforts, that led the Gators to a win in the SEC opener for both schools.
Vols Get McClustered, 42-17
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Go on and feel bad, sad, and even a little mad.
But above all, appreciate the performer you saw on the field, even though he wore blue and gray.
A typical view on Saturday - Ole Miss RB Dexter McCluster eluding a Tennessee Vol defender. AP Photo.
Ole Miss running back Dexter McCluster carried the ball 25 times. He gained 282 yards. That’s an average of over 11 yards a carry.
He scored 4 TDs on runs of 15, 23, 32, and 77 yards.
He also gained 42 yards on 4 pass receptions. That’s 324 all-purpose yards.
Dexter broke the all-time Ole Miss records for most rushing yards in a game (formerly 242 yards by Dou Innocent in 1995) and most all-purpose yards in a game (formerly 317 yards by Deuce McAllister in 1999).
If Ole Miss had been playing anybody else, that would have been exciting to watch. Another performance showing the excitement of college football.
But it was against the Vols. And it was the most rushing yards ever given up by Tennessee to an opposing rusher. Ever. He busted it by 65 yards, formerly co-held by Mike Prichard (Colorado 1990) and Bobby Humphrey (Alabama 1986), both with 217 yards. And according to Knoxville’s Jimmy Hyams on the radio, McCluster became only the second opponent to rush for 4 TDs against Tennessee, equaling the mark of Southern Cal great Marcus Allen back in 1981.
Oh, and Dexter McCluster’s 282 rushing yards on Saturday were more yards gained on the ground than any team against the Vols this season.
A humbling end to a very bad week.
WARNING: After the jump, there are a lot of photographs of Dexter McCluster enjoying open-field running. Read More…
(1) Alabama 12 Tennessee 10: Game Summary
Attendance (Bryant-Denny Stadium): 92,012
Recap / Box Score / Play-by-Play / Drive Chart
I’m back. Somewhat rested. Still wondering what to make of it all. But in the spirit of moving forward, here’s the game recap, possession by possession.
But first, a word from our… Oops. Technical difficulties. Do not try to adjust your set. Or your headset…
Right before kickoff, it becomes apparent that the Tennessee coaching staff is discussing the possible sabotage of their headsets. Yes, it is just a coincidence, I’m sure. Faulty wiring or just a bad connector. Right. So the officials rule that both teams’ staffs must remove the headsets until the “problem is fixed.” The “problem” is “fixed” after only a couple of plays.
A red rat chewing through a wire no doubt…
(1) Alabama 12 Tennessee 10: Post-game Thoughts
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A game not to be forgotten for a long time.
This old rivalry lived up to all it could be. Tennessee, a two-touchdown underdog, traveling into enemy territory. Alabama, an undefeated season in the making, ranked number one in the AP poll. A perfect setting for a blowout. Or, a memorable upset.
Neither happened.
But instead, what happened was the stuff of legend.
