Tennessee football: Turning points in Vols 23-22 Gator Bowl win vs. Indiana

Lots of crucial events happened in Tennessee football’s win over the Indiana Hoosiers. These were the key moments for the Volunteers.

Sure, Tennessee football got six points early on in three trips to inside the 15-yard line. Jeremy Pruitt may have benched Jarrett Guarantano after his second pick was returned for a touchdown and put the Indiana Hoosiers up 16-6 due to them missing an extra point, spotting them nine points overall. And Brian Maurer may have led a field goal drive.

But in the Vols’ 22-9 comeback over Indiana to win the Gator Bowl and finish the season 8-5 and on a six-game winning streak, none of what happened before Guarantano came back in the game and led the comeback is relevant anymore. After all, the epic comeback is the story.

A season that has been defined by key moments had a ton in the final eight minutes of the game. So let’s look at those turning points that defined Tennessee football coming back in a shocking way to beat Indiana 23-22 in Jacksonville, Fla.

1. Kivon Bennett tackles Sampson James for three-yard loss 

Nobody will remember this one. But they should. Jarrett Guarantano came back in the game after Brian Maurer’s field goal drive, and the Vols had back to back three and outs. Indiana got the ball up 22-9 with eight minutes to go, and Sampson James had a five-yard run on 1st and 10 from the Hoosiers’ own 30.

On 2nd and 5, the Vols were reeling. However, Kivon Bennett got a crucial tackle for a three-yard loss on the next play. That brought up a 3rd and 8, which Indiana didn’t convert, forcing them to punt. It seems small, but UT’s defense hadn’t gotten a stop at that point since the first half, and if Bennett doesn’t make the tackle, they could have wilted. But it changed everything.

2. Jarrett Guarantano completes five straight passes

With the newfound momentum after Kivon Bennett’s tackle to stop a drive, Jarrett Guarantano finally came alive. He completed two straight passes to Eric Gray for a combined 34 yards. Then he hit Jauan Jennings for 22 yards, Ty Chandler for eight yards and Jennings for another five yards, being hit as he threw.

These plays are what set up Tennessee football’s first touchdown. Jennings drew a pass interference after that, and Quavaris Crouch got the touchdown run. But Guarantano completing five straight passes for 69 yards is what changed everything and allowed the Vols to score.

3. Eric Gray recovers onside kick

Of course this would be on the list. The crazy part about it is the fact that the Indiana Hoosiers did not see it coming. Jeremy Pruitt clearly appeared to be telegraphing it. Either way, after scoring the touchdown to make it 22-16 with under five minutes left, Eric Gray timed the onside kick perfectly, recovering it just after it went 10 yards.

Jarrett Guarantano then hit Josh Palmer for 23 yards, and Gray had a 16-yard touchdown run to put UT up 23-22. But those plays were actually irrelevant. Everybody knew the Vols were going to score after Gray got the onside kick.

4. Darrell Taylor sacks Peyton Ramsey

Once they went up 23-22, Tennessee football’s defense had to step up. The Vols gave up a 39-yard pass on the next drive, allowing the Indiana Hoosiers to get the ball at the Vols’ 36-yard line, nearly in field goal range. But that’s when Darrell Taylor came alive.

In a pass rush generated by Alontae Taylor, Peyton Ramsey got sacked by Darrell Taylor for a nine-yard loss. That forced Indiana to try to get enough yards back for a field goal try, and they could only get it to a 52-yard field goal, which was missed. But that all was thanks to that crucial play by Taylor. If not for him, Indiana could have gotten closer and kicked a game-winner.

5. Defense forces four straight incompletions

Rocky Top’s offense could not convert a first down, and a false start actually stopped the clock late at one point. So they punted it and gave the Indiana Hoosiers one more chance. Peyton Ramsey then had completions of 24 and 12 yards to move into UT territory again. After playing soft, the Vols then decided to dial up blitz packages again.

Derrick Ansley was great at that all night. And with Indiana getting a 1st and 10 at the Vols 45-yard line, they were forced into four straight incompletions. It was a third great stand by the defense, the underrated part of the comeback Jeremy Pruitt’s team had in this incredible Gator Bowl win.