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Tennessee football: Five major obstacles Vols overcame in win at Missouri Tigers

By Caleb Calhoun

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers runs off the field after their 24-20 win against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers runs off the field after their 24-20 win against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on November 23, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images
Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images /

1. Second straight fourth quarter fumble by Vols running back

Remember, Tennessee football lost to the BYU Cougars with the only turnover in the game being Jarrett Guarantano’s interception in the third quarter. That set up BYU’s only touchdown, which is why they were in position to tie it up late anyway.

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Well, in this game, the Vols had a chance to secure the win. Up 24-17 late, they were driving near the red zone. Tim Jordan got a first down and was gunning for more, but a helmet was put on the ball as he was carrying it, and he fumbled. We couldn’t really blame him for the play since it was a helmet-on-the-ball fumble, but it was still critical.

This was the second straight game in which the Vols had a fourth quarter fumble by a running back with the ball and the lead. They overcame it with their third straight defensive stand, a goal-line stand, against the Kentucky Wildcats. Would they be able to do it again when facing the Missouri Tigers?

The answer again was yes. Mizzou got their second offensive possession in the fourth quarter after that fumble and drove into field goal range, but they only got a field goal. Down 24-20, they got the ball back one more time with a chance to win, almost proving that fumble very costly. But the defense got another stand, and then the offense ran out the clock.

Five takeaways from Vols win at Missouri. dark. Next

So for two games in a row, Tennessee football has overcome a fourth quarter turnover in a one-score game to win. That is a huge step for this program given what they were dealing with early in the season, and it was just the final hurdle in a series of hurdles they had to overcome to get this critical road win.

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