Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols’ 44-6 win vs. Kentucky

2. The Vols failed to cash in too often in Kentucky territory.

If there is one negative to draw from the game, it’s this. Tennessee football actually left too many points on the board when you go back and look at how the game went. They probably should’ve crossed the 60-point threshold, honestly, as they were given too many opportunities.

We mentioned the Chase McGrath missed field goal. That wasn’t the only time they drove into Kentucky territory and came up short on points they could’ve scored, though. The Vols’ first interception set them up at the Kentucky 45 in the first half, but they went three-and-out on that drive and were forced to punt.

On their first offensive drive of the second half, they brought it all the way up to a 2nd and 4 at the Kentucky 11, but they were eventually forced to settle for a field goal. Then they got to the Kentucky 20 and had a 1st and 10 before settling for the field goal that McGrath missed.

Late in the game, up 37-6, they drove to the Kentucky 24, and then they had a false start and later a sack, forcing them to punt the ball. Giving away these opportunities won’t work against Georgia, and it’s actually exactly what they did against the Dawgs last year. If they’re going to win that game, they’ve got to cash in.