Tennessee Football Wins Music City Bowl: 5 Takeaways from Vols Victory Over Nebraska

Tennessee football defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 38-24 in the Music City Bowl. Here are five takeaways from the Volunteers’ win over the Huskers.

After a tumultuous season where Butch Jones was mocked and put on the hot seat, fans called for Joshua Dobbs’s benching, and a 5-0 start turned into a massively disappointing 8-4 record, Tennessee football finished the season in style.

The Vols got a nice win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers 38-24 in the Music City Bowl. It was the first win in program history over Nebraska after two bad losses to them in the 1990s.

And with the win, the Vols have won three straight bowl games for the first time since 1994 through 1996. Ever since then, they hadn’t even won two straight bowl games.

With the win, both Tennessee and Nebraska finished the season 9-4. It may have been a bittersweet ending for the Vols, but there are plenty of positives that come from this.

Here are five takeaways from Tennessee football’s Music City Bowl victory.

1. The Vols have key stars to replace. 

It’s good news and bad news. Joshua Dobbs delivered an encore for his final game in orange with 409 total yards and four total touchdowns en route to being named Music City Bowl MVP. Derek Barnett also delivered an encore in what is likely his final game with six tackles, numerous hurries and hits on the quarterback, and his 33rd career sack late in the game to break Reggie White’s school record. That’s all great.

But it also means the Vols could have some issues.

After all, with Dobbs gone and Barnett likely gone, how will the Vols replace them? Tennessee football has a quarterback competition to replace Dobbs next year, but very few people can do the things he does. Meanwhile, nobody can do what Barnett has done on the defensive side of the ball. And with the line already losing Corey Vereen, the unit could be much thinner next year. There is another story behind the line, though, which brings us to our next point.

2. Injuries were clearly an issue on defense.

Bob Shoop’s unit was the healthiest it had been all year in the Music City Bowl despite having only two scholarship true defensive tackles. Still, during the season, the entire defense had guys playing banged up. Cameron Sutton was either out or hurt every game after the third game. Jalen Reeves-Maybin never returned after the Florida game. Darrin Kirkland Jr. played most of the year hurt. And Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttle both went out for the year on the line.

With McKenzie, Tuttle, and Reeves-Maybin never returning, Shoop was limited already in the Music City Bowl. But he had time to prepare Jonathan Kongbo in the middle and work with the linebackers, and it worked. Sure, it helped that Nebraska had a backup quarterback, but the defense really only gave up 17 points. Perhaps when they get healthier next year, they’ll be in much better shape.

3. Butch Jones can clearly keep his players focused.

Amidst all the criticism he has gotten this year, Butch Jones has shown a unique ability to keep his players focused when things are going poorly. Despite a disappointing season, he clearly had them motivated to play in this bowl game.

And that’s reflective of the year. Despite numerous injuries, the Vols never stopped playing hard. When things went against them, they didn’t quit, evidenced by their comeback wins over Appalachian State, Virginia Tech, Florida, and Georgia early in the year. He still has that factor, and it’s enough to earn him more respect than he has been getting. He also has help from an important group of people.

4. Tennessee fans appreciate where they are. 

This is huge. Back in the early 2000s and late 1990s, the Vols had trouble filling stadiums if they went to disappointing bowl games. Just look at the last time they played the Huskers in the Fiesta Bowl, or the two Cotton Bowl games they played in earlier this century. But this time, they had no trouble showing up.

Despite a disappointing season much worse than any fan wanted, they filled the stadium in Nashville, as the Music City Bowl sold out. And while Nebraska definitely brought its fans, the Vols made sure to be as supportive as possible. That shows that, after such a downturn, fans have learned to appreciate success more. And speaking of that downturn…

5. Tennessee football is on solid ground. 

Okay, so they failed to meet their goals this year. It’s the first year under Butch Jones they have failed to do that. Meanwhile, the Vols finished 9-4 for the second straight year and will likely finish in the Top 25 for the second straight year. They haven’t done that since Phillip Fulmer retired, so they have a lot to be excited about.

And while a Music City Bowl victory and 9-4 record is not where Tennessee wants to be every year, simply not winning a championship every year you have talent is not enough to be unhappy about where the program is. It’s clearly on solid ground, and when that happens, it’ll be capable of breaking through at some point for a championship. Everybody can’t have what Alabama has.