Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols’ 40-13 win at LSU

1. Early start made it clear who was in control.

This was clear on the opening kickoff, which LSU fumbled and Tennessee football recovered. The Vols followed that up with a touchdown. That was part of a 20-0 lead they build, which extended into the second quarter, thanks to a series of LSU mistakes. It was obvious from the start that the Vols would strike early, but doing it to this degree was unexpected.

Josh Heupel’s team was dominant in the second quarter through most of the season. However, it was the first quarter that built this lead, as they went up 13-0 due to a recovered fumble on a kickoff, a fourth down stop and an epic punt return. It’s hard to overstate how big those moments were for Rocky Top.

If you had followed LSU heading into this game, you would know that this was a team that made a habit of making a strong statement in the second half. However, the Vols build such a lead in the first half that it didn’t matter. That was key from the start, and Josh Heupel knew that.

Coming off of a bye obviously helped, but in general, you can’t overlook a dominant win like this one. Tennessee football cashed in on its bye week and used the off-time to take control early. There is no threat LSU could have given to scare the Vols, and that says something.