Five weeks into college football and the Volunteers sit at 5-0 and back at No. 9 where they started the season. Can it continue for Tennessee football?
Tennessee football has been full of surprises this year. And I don’t know if surprises is the proper word to use.
Five games in and the Vols sit at 5-0 with some miraculous play happening in their favor.
The opener against Appalachian State is starting to not haunt the Vols like it did the first few weeks. Tennessee found itself in its first of many holes in the upcoming season. Joshua Dobbs and Josh Malone connected in the third quarter of the App State game to get the spark the Vols needed. Tennessee would eventually somehow eek out a victory in OT. After this game, many fans reevaluated their preseason expectations for the 2016 team.
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Next, the Vols battled Virginia Tech in the biggest college football game ever. Once again, the Vols start slow while Virginia Tech executed a perfect game plan. The first of five turnovers gave life to a struggling Tennessee offense and led to a Jauan Jennings touchdown. From that point on, the Vols never looked back and coming out of the Battle at Bristol with a 45-24 victory.
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Then, Ohio comes into Neyland Stadium and the Vols get off to a good start with Dobbs connecting with Malone on the first drive for a touchdown. This game went downhill from there. Cameron Sutton and Jalen Reeves-Maybin both suffered injuries in the first half of this game and both haven’t really seen the field since. Ohio hangs around with field goals, but Tennessee finds a way to get out with a win.
Then, the following week Florida marched into Knoxville with a backup quarterback. Checker Neyland provides a jaw-dropping scene. The crowd is pumped, however Florida seizes control of the game and leads 21-3 going into the half. Fans boo team 120 as they run into the locker room. Team 120 responds with 38 unanswered points. The defense holds Florida to EIGHT yards in the third quarter. Dobbs and company then absolutely torch the #1 defense in the nation in the second half. Tennessee gets a 38-28 victory and snaps the ever looming 11 year losing streak.
Now, Saturday provided an instant classic. Tennessee had Georgia right where they wanted them. Down 17-0, Tennessee scored right before the half and on the opening drive of the second half to get back into the game. The game went back and forth until Georgia freshman quarterback Jacob Eason launched a bomb to his receiver with 19 seconds left. The game was over.
However, an unsportsmanlike penalty and an offsides on the kickoff put the ball at the Georgia 43 yard line with four seconds to go. Dobbs drops back. He allows his receivers time to get to the endzone and throws a hail mary to Jennings to win the game.
Is there a better way to beat two of your biggest rivals?
Seriously, Tennessee ripped out the hearts of Georgia fans after they ripped out the hearts of Tennessee fans.
Tennessee football fans know the feeling of having the game won, then all of a sudden having lost the game.
Moreover, the Vols sit at 5-0, #9 in the AP poll and are awaiting a top 10 matchup in College Station.
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Vol fans, how does that sounds? A top 10 matchup six weeks into the season.
However, the way Team 120 fights, shows Tennessee football fans they are in for a great season.
Now, Vol fans recuperate. Big time college football Saturday, Oct 8.