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Tennessee Football Report Card: Grading the Vols vs Appalachian State

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers fans after winning in overtime against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers fans after winning in overtime against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey during the second half against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won in overtime 20 to 13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey during the second half against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won in overtime 20 to 13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Tennessee football survived a 20-13 overtime victory in Week One over the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Here are the grades for the Volunteers’ units.

It was an ugly game all the way around, but the Vols pulled it out. Tennessee football gave its fans a scare with a 20-13 overtime home victory over Appalachian State Thursday night.

Given the fact that this is a team that beat the Michigan Wolverines in 2007, finished 11-2 in the Sun Belt last year, and returned a ton of talent, the win is not too embarrassing for the Vols.

But when you need a fumble recovery in the end zone in overtime to win the game, there are some serious issues.

As we get set to grade the Vols in all of their performances, it’s hard to determine which unit was decent.

After all, these guys struggled in every way possible in what could have been one of the ugliest victories in school history.

This game was the first game since 2006 that Tennessee football played in the Top 10. The Vols will likely drop out of that Top 10 ranking after this week.

It was reminiscent of their 17-10 opening day victory over the UAB Blazers in 2005 when they started the year ranked No. 3 in the country.

Yes, Appalachian State is a tough team. Yes, they will make the Vols look good with their play down the stretch this year.

No, they did not have any business hanging tough in this game the way they did. And it has left a lot to be concerned about among the Vols.

Here are the grades for each of the Tennessee football units against Appalachian State.

Next: Offensive Grades

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