Tennessee football: Turning points in Vols’ 59-10 win vs. Ball Statet

If you watched the game, it was clearly in hand pretty early. However, no game is completely out of reach after the first quarter, no matter how much of a blowout it is, and Tennessee football had to do some things to make sure its season-opener against the Ball State Cardinals was put out of reach early enough.

As we get set to dive into those things, we’ll take a look at the standout moments that did put the game away. Moments can be a single play, a single drive or a succession of plays. They are each one entity, though, that represents what was done to make sure this game was in hand.

This isn’t the same as highlights, as sometimes, some of the most forgotten plays don’t make the highlight reel. However, they are the most important in determining how the flow of the game went. These were the turning points and key moments in Tennessee football’s 59-10 win over Ball State Thursday.

Tamarion McDonald interception immediately followed by Hendon Hooker TD pass to Jalin Hyatt

Nobody was going to question this one, and it hardly needs an explanation. An interception on the first play of the game from scrimmage and a 23-yard touchdown pass on the very next play put the Vols up 7-0. Do we really need to break down why this was a key moment?

Vols’ defense stops Ball State on 4th down on back to back drives

That early strike didn’t prevent UT’s pass defense from struggling afterward. Ball State moved into Tennessee territory and was threatening. However, the Vols then forced two incompletions on 3rd and 10 and 4th and 10. Still, the game was in hand, as they only got a field goal on the next drive.

Then Ball State got the ball right back and brought up a 3rd and 1. Tennessee football snuffed out a running play there, and then they stopped a quarterback sneak on 4th and 1. That gave them the ball in Ball State territory with a two-score lead, allowing them the chance to pounce.

Jabari Small 10-yard run on 4th and 1

After two fourth down stops, the Vols had their own fourth down brought up. Jabari Small was able to convert his, though, gaining 10 yards. That eventually set up Hendon Hooker for a touchdown run to put them up 17-0. UT converted its fourth downs. Ball State didn’t.

Hendon Hooker 32-yard 3rd and long pass to Ramel Keyton followed by Jaylen Wright 4th and 1 conversion

After forcing a punt, Tennessee football was up 17-0 still, but a 3rd and 10 came up from their own 24-yard line. They needed more dominance, typical of what they usually do in the first, and they were in danger of that not happening.  Hendon Hooker came through with an epic pass.

Ramel Keyton caught Hooker’s quick strike over the middle and gained 32 yards. Then the Vols brought up another 4th and 1. Jaylen Wright just barely converted. That momentum allowed UT to march down the field as Hooker ran in another score early in the second. This put them in control.

First full second quarter touchdown drive for Vols followed by Kamal Hadden interception

We know about the Vols’ issues last year in the second quarter after a hot first quarter, and although they did score a second quarter touchdown early, it was based on a first quarter drive. The concern was there again, as they had to punt for the first time on their first full offensive drive of the second quarter.

Well, it didn’t last. Ball State punted right back to them, and they easily marched 53 yards down the field for a touchdown. That drive proved they were a different program, and then came the Kamal Hadden interception, setting up another touchdown. As a result, they ended up with more points in the second and went into halftime up 38-0.

Could this be a new trend for Tennessee football, or was it just because of the fact that they were playing Ball State? We have no way of knowing at this moment, but this sequence was what truly broke the game open. If Ball State couldn’t cash in on UT’s past second-quarter woes, they would never make it close.