Tennessee football: Turning points in Vols’ 48-45 Music City Bowl overtime loss to Purdue

Even in a shootout like this year’s Music City Bowl, you can trace the game down to just a few plays. There were a few moments in the game for Tennessee football in their 48-45 overtime loss to the Purdue Boilermakers that dramatically changed the momentum.

Sure, the controversial missed calls will be talked about forever. Numerous big plays on both sides made this game interesting. However, small plays that dictate the flow of the game are often more important than the big plays, and yes, that was the case a lot here.

As we get set to look at the major key moments that dictated this game, none of them were the big offensive touchdowns by Purdue. Those were going to come. They actually were all on defense. Let’s break them down here. These are the turning points in Tennessee football’s loss.

First-half turnover on downs by Vols

Remember, the Vols went up on Purdue 21-7 in the first quarter. After two Purdue field goals, they were driving in the second quarter up 21-10. They brought up 2nd and 7 at the Purdue 36-yard line and seemed destined to further extend their lead.

Then they got hit with an illegal formation. Hendon Hooker ran for eight yards to bring up a 3rd and 4, but he threw an incomplete pass on that play. A false start made it 4th and 9, and Josh Heupel decided to go for it. Hooker couldn’t convert, and that gave Purdue new life.

Second quarter fumble by Hendon Hooker

Late in the first half, Purdue was driving and made it 1st and goal at the Vols’ two-yard line. Down 21-13, they could go into halftime tied and with all the momentum. However, Tennessee football stopped them three times, and with just over a minute left, Josh Heupel took two timeouts to have a shot at a late score himself.

Well, Purdue hit the field goal, and UT got the ball with that chance. Hooker, however, was hit as he was throwing the ball and fumbled it. Purdue recovered and scored a touchdown two plays later, so they were the ones to go into halftime up. That dramatically changed everything.

4th and 1 turnover on downs by Vols

In the fourth quarter, the Vols had taken a 31-30 lead. They also had the ball and a chance to really take control of the game. Hooker drove the ball to inside the Purdue 30-yard line, and after a five-yard pass to Velus Jones Jr. on 3rd and 6, he brought up a 4th and 1 at the Purdue 24.

Heupel wanted to go for the kill, so he called Hooker’s number. Well, on the draw Hooker was stopped in the backfield. That was devastating, as if UT had converted, they could have run more clock and scored again to go up eight.

Hendon Hooker’s two incomplete passes near end of regulation

After that 4th and 1 stop, the two teams each traded two touchdowns for a wild fourth quarter. However, Tennessee football then got the ball back and drove to the Purdue 42-yard line. They had the ball 2nd and 3 with all three timeouts left.

Inexplicably, Heupel called two deep pass plays. To be fair, both were there. Hooker overthrew Velus Jones Jr., and the refs missed Cedric Tillman being held. Still, that forced UT to just run for the first down and have a chance at a really long field goal, which Chase McGrath missed. Had Heupel run it or called some intermediate passes, UT could have had an easier kick.

Jack Sullivan sacks Hendon Hooker on 1st and goal in OT

Everybody will talk about Jaylen Wright being stopped on 4th and goal because forward progress was called way too early. Obviously, that was a huge factor, and it’s part of this sequence. However, a sack earlier started it.

Wright had a 12-yard run to the Purdue two-yard line to bring up 1st and goal. Again, inexplicably, Heupel called a pass. Hooker was sacked for a five-yard loss. Tennessee football used the next two plays to bring up the 4th and goal from the one, and that’s what forced the Wright situation, but without that sack, that wouldn’t have been necessary.