Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols 17-13 win over Kentucky

3. It was a game of inches for the Vols.

While Tennessee football won this game, they could have won by a lot more. Just a few steps by specific players on specific plays are what kept this game interesting to begin with, and it shows you just how close this sport can be. They say it’s a game of inches, and it was certainly a game of inches in Lexington.

It started with Nigel Warrior. Down 13-3, Warrior appeared to get a pick-six, but he had half a foot step out of bounds. So he ended up with just an interception. That ended up being costly to the Vols, as they did not score on that drive, which could have been critical down the stretch of the game for Rocky Top.

Then there was a touchdown pass that Jarrett Guarantano appeared to throw to Josh Palmer in the second half. Palmer caught a pass on third down and ran it in. However, replay showed that his knee was on the ground just as he caught the ball, and he pulled it up too late, which resulted in him being down.

Later on that same drive for the Vols, though, Palmer caught a touchdown on a fade pattern in which he just got a foot in bounds. The first two touchdowns were overturned. This was an overturn in favor of UT to get them a touchdown.

It’s also worth noting that a blocked extra point forced UK to go for it on their final drive instead of taking the points to tie. That shows you just how much this game can come down to a few inches, and in a defensive struggle, those things defined this matchup.