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Tennessee football: Five reasons Vols can turn season around

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee players run onto the field at the start of the Alabama and Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.Tennessee Vs Alabama Football 100152
Tennessee players run onto the field at the start of the Alabama and Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.Tennessee Vs Alabama Football 100152 /
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Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) fumbles the ball and watches as its recovered by Kentucky during a SEC conference football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kentucky Wildcats held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, October 17, 2020.Kns Ut Football Kentucky Bp
Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) fumbles the ball and watches as its recovered by Kentucky during a SEC conference football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Kentucky Wildcats held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, October 17, 2020.Kns Ut Football Kentucky Bp /

4. UT is just a few plays away from a 4-2 record.

Consider this for a second. Jarrett Guarantano doesn’t throw two pick-sixes and have an unforced fumble in the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats. J.T. Shrout is then not brought in, resulting in another interception that sets up a Kentucky field goal. Darnell Wright doesn’t miss a block on the opening drive that knocks Tennessee football out of field goal range.

If all of those things happen, the Vols lead Kentucky at halftime 16-0 at worst, as they left at least three field goals on the board and spotted them all their points. Yes, Kentucky’s offense scored 17 points in the second half, but they were able to institute the balance they needed up so significantly. That wouldn’t have happened with the Vols up.

So those five plays changed everything. Then you have the Arkansas Razorbacks game. Take away the bad pass interference call that set up Arkansas’s final points, a field goal, and the bad pass interference non-call on a 4th and 4 for the Vols on their next to last drive, and they could easily have the ball on that final drive down at worst 21-16 with a chance to go in for the win.

We just named seven plays that have kept UT from being 4-2 with its only losses to the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs. They’d be in perfect shape at that point, and nobody could be upset. If a few balls bounce their way in the coming weeks, things could definitely change.

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