Five memorable Tennessee football defensive stands

5. Kentucky Wildcats – 2019

Just this past year, Tennessee football had a defensive stand that was one for the ages. After an 0-2 start with two losses to non-Power Five schools, the Vols fell to 1-4 and 2-5. But they had regrouped after that 1-4 start and really hit their stride. At this point, they had gotten to 4-5 and were set to face the Kentucky Wildcats on the road.

Similar to UT, Kentucky was hitting its own stride. The Wildcats were 5-4 but had figured out how to be deadly with Lynn Bowden at quarterback. They were also set to host the Vols, so everything about this game favored them.

Within the game itself, Rocky Top rallied from a 13-0 deficit as Jarrett Guarantano came in for Brian Maurer and threw two touchdown passes in the second half to give the Vols a 17-13 lead. Late in the game, with the Vols holding on, they called a simple run play to Ty Chandler, and Chandler fumbled the ball.

Kentucky recovered and ran five minutes off the clock before setting up a 1st and goal from the six-yard line. They drove to the two-yard line, and then the Vols committed a substitution infraction. All of a sudden, the Wildcats had two plays to gain one yard for the win.

Well, enter Daniel Bituli. The leading tackler of the day, Bituli snuffed out a run play to Christopher Rodriguez. Then he forced Bowden on a bad angle on a direct snap on 4th and goal. As a result, the Vols got a huge goal-line stand, and after one stop, they ran out the clock to get to 5-5.