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Tennessee football: Key moments and turning points in Vols loss to Missouri

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the inside of Neyland Stadium during a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the inside of Neyland Stadium during a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee football’s loss to the Missouri Tigers could have been closer but for a few mistakes. Here are the notable moments that cost the Volunteers.

After two horrendous offensive drives, Tennessee football was able to take a 7-6 lead over the Missouri Tigers early. But Missouri scored a touchdown on the very next drive and never trailed the rest of the game.

Mizzou pulled away in the second half to win 50-17. When they were up early, though, the Vols had a great chance to take control of the game. However, they just weren’t ready for the shootout that the Tigers were about to deliver.

This team just doesn’t yet have the personnel to be able to hang in a game like that. As a result, they lost badly. But there were specific things that could’ve made this closer. These are the key moments and turning points in Tennessee football’s loss to Missouri.

Jarrett Guarantano gets hurt

We honestly don’t know if the game would have been even uglier had Jarrett Guarantano not gotten injured. After all, Keller Chryst came in on the next drive and engineered a touchdown drive. However, it did affect the Vols’ game plan, especially given the hits that any of their quarterbacks take this year behind that offensive line. And Chryst floated two interceptions. So Guarantano’s injury does make you wonder what would have happened, and that it came so early, it was clearly a key moment that nobody was ready for.

Tennessee fails to score a touchdown from the 2-yard-line

This was horrible. Tennessee football fell behind again 13-7 and then drove to the Missouri 2-yard-line for a second and goal. Ty Chandler got stuffed on a run, and Keller Chryst then got sacked. The result was the Vols having to settle for a field goal, which proved costly as Missou went up by two scores with a touchdown on the next drive.

Keller Chryst’s first-half interception

If there was a play to force the Vols into comeback mode, this was it. Jeremy Pruitt’s team was down 19-10 and looking to get some points at the end of the half. However, past the 50, Keller Chryst and Marquez Callaway had miscommunication, and Chrsyt threw an interception that was returned the other way. It set up a Mizzou touchdown to end the half, and they went in with a 26-10 lead.

Drew Lock converts 3rd and 6 in the third quarter for 21 yards

It’s a play a lot of people don’t talk about. But the Vols were staging a comeback early in the second half. They had responded with an opening touchdown drive after the horrendous end to the first half to make it 26-17. Then they had forced a third down for Missouri. This would be their chance to get the ball back and make it a game. It wasn’t. Lock hit Tyler Badie for 21 yards, and Tennessee football’s defense gave up a touchdown on that drive to fall behind 33-17.

Carlin Fils-Aime fumbles the ball, Missouri returns it for a touchdown

The final play to put the game away was here. Already up 33-17 the Missouri Tigers were pretty much in control. However, it was still a two-possession game, and you had to wonder if the Vols’ offense could keep them in it. Well, it wouldn’t after this play. Tyson Helton called a jet sweep to Carlin Fils-Aime, and Fils-Aime fumbled the ball. Mizzou recovered and ran it 39 yards back for a touchdown to go up 40-17. After that, there was no comeback in sight.

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