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Tennessee football: Vols could be five mistakes away from 4-0

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 31: Jarrett Guarantano #2 of Tennessee Volunteers throws a pass against Georgia State Panthers during the first quarter of the season opener at Neyland Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 31: Jarrett Guarantano #2 of Tennessee Volunteers throws a pass against Georgia State Panthers during the first quarter of the season opener at Neyland Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images
Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images /

5. Georgia State Panthers

Key play:

Ty Chandler fumble on opening drive

Yes, this one play is the reason Tennessee football lost to the Georgia State Panthers. If Ty Chandler does not fumble on the second play of the game, the Vols, who were moving the ball in the first half, likely march down the field for a score.

However, even if they don’t, they certainly don’t allow that first Georgia State touchdown. What does this all mean? Well, UT would be heading into halftime up 17-7 instead of 17-14, which is a big difference.

Georgia State’s second-half touchdown would still have them down. Meanwhile, Jeremy Pruitt would kick a field goal on a 4th down attempt that failed, which Brent Cimaglia would convert, and when he converted his other two, it would be 26-14 in favor of the Vols.

As a result, even after GSU scored their next touchdown, the Vols would have more balance and stick to the ground game, which would mean the two turnovers that they had that set up 10 GSU points late would not happen. Simply put, they win without this Chandler fumble.

Other plays:

Failed 3rd and short conversion in second quarter

Even if Chandler had not fumbled, the Vols would have gotten the kill in the second quarter if they had just converted a 3rd and short. They had the ball up 14-7 but were stuffed on an obvious running play, which forced them to punt and put the Panthers back in it.

Failed 4th and short conversion in third quarter

We already mentioned this one. But if Pruitt goes for the field goal here, it could have made a difference. If the Vols convert, as they should have, they may have gone down and scored a touchdown. So this is another costly mistake.

Jarrett Guarantano fumbles on a strip-sack

This set up Georgia State’s final touchdown. They went up 35-23. Jarrett Guarantano was sacked and fumbled the ball due to a missed block. If the sack doesn’t happen, GSU doesn’t score another TD, and there’s a chance the Vols get at least another field goal. That’s a 10-point swing in an eight-point loss.

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