Kentucky becomes the first team this season to score a first-quarter touchdown on the Vols
Knoxville, Tenn. – After Tennessee’s defense forces a turnover on downs for Kentucky, the Vols took over from their own five-yard line.
With a pair of explosive plays, Nico Iamaleava and the offense marched downfield.
But then they entered the red zone, and the same old problems reemerged.
Iamaleava took a sack and then John Campbell Jr. was flagged for a holding penalty.
Two issues that continue to plague the Vols especially in the red zone, which was a key point of emphasis for the Vols during the bye-week.
The offense strung together three plays that went 10 or more yards before entering the red zone.
Iamaleava threw for 65 yards before getting inside the 20-yard line.
Then a no-gain rush by Dylan Sampson, a sack for a loss of four yards, followed by Campbell’s 10-yard penalty called for placekicker Max Gilbert.
His 43-yard attempt fell just left and the offense walked away from otherwise exciting opening drive with nothing to show for it.
To make matters more frustrating in the opening quarter, Kentucky’s offense was finding holes in Tennessee’s defense.
The Wildcats’ first play of the game was a Jamarion Wilcox rush up the middle for a 50-yard gain. The run carried him all the way to Tennessee’s 27-yard line before Andre Turrentine tackled the Wildcat.
On average, Tennessee’s defense gives up just 79 rush yards a game for the second-best mark in the FBS.
However, the defense managed to keep the Cats out of the endzone as Brock Vandargriff’s pass to Dane Key was broken up by Rickey Gibson III on a fourth-down try.
That moment of relief, short lived.
Kentucky’s next drive was boosted by a 25-yard pass to Hardley Gilmore to reach midfield.
On their sixth play of the drive, Vandagriff threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Josh Kattus to go up 7-0.
Prior to Kentucky’s touchdown, Tennessee was one of three FBS teams to not give up a first quarter touchdown this season.
Then in their third drive, Turrentine delivered.
The defense back intercepted Vandagriff at Kentucky’s 45 with 1:28 left in the opening quarter.
Iamaleava and the offense’s time on the field would be shortlived because Keeshawn Silver forced a fumble on Sampson at UK’s 26-yard line.
That turnover, prevented Tennessee from scoring in the first quarter in conference play for the fourth straight game.
The last time they scored in the opening frame was against Oklahoma when Iamaleava threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to Dont’e Thornton with 00:03 remaining.
SECOND QUARTER
Kentucky opened the second quarter and for the first time Saturday night, the chains didn’t move.
The Vols forced a three-and-out
Gifting Iamaleava and the offense favorable field position with their drive starting at Kentucky’s 47-yard line.
Bru McCoy had a physical reception in which he broke up two tackles at Kentucky’s 36 before being pushed out of bounds at the 18-yard line.
The first play in the red zone was a false start penalty by Dayne Davis.
Tennessee nearly converted for a touchdown when Iamaleava threw it to Kittsleman in double coverage, but it was broken up by Jordan Lovett.
Josh Heupel called a timeout.
Out of the timeout, Iamaleava took a sack and once again the Vols called for a field goal.
Once more, it was no good, and another turnover on downs.
Red zone troubles continue.
After four drives failed to end with points, Tennessee entered four-down territory at Kentucky’s 38-yard line.
Tennessee would convert on a QB scramble.
Two plays later, an 18-yard pass to Kitsleman to reach the 8-yard line.
Two short rushes by Peyton Lewis followed which brought up a 3rd and goal to go at the the 1-yard line.
Heupel then reinstalled the jumbo package, and Lewis took care of the rest for a 1-yard rushing touchdown.
That marked his first career touchdown to make it 7-7 with 4:45 left in the first half.
Tennessee’s first touchdown in the first half of a game since Oklahoma.
With 00:30 left in the frame after Tennessee held UK to a field goal, Iamaleava and the offense attempted to end the half with points.
A 19-yard pass to Chas Nimrod brought the Vols to their own 44-yard line.
With 00:08 left and the clock winding, Iamaleava scrambled for a first down.
After brief confusion on whether there was any time left on the clock and Kentucky trying to exit the field, 00:02 were put back on the clock. The ref spotted the ball and waved his arm to restart the clock.
As the seconds wound down, the Vols were seemingly unaware of the moment, the snap doesn’t get off in time and time expires.
Heupel was adamant they were ready to snap the ball. However, looking on the field Cooper Mays was the only player in the appropriate stance indicating they were in fact not ready.
The Vols go into half-time trailing for the fourth straight game.
THIRD QUARTER
Tennessee strung together three 10+ yard plays to start its drive but broke down the moment it got in the red zone.
A short run, incomplete pass, and a no-gain completion resulted in another field goal attempt.
Unfortunately, Gilbert is now 0-3 on the night.
Tennessee’s defense didn’t flinch.
On the third play for Kentucky, Joshua Josephs sacked Vandagriff for a loss of seven on the play, and in the midst, Jeremiah Telander was able to strip the ball away.
Iamaleava and the offense took over at UK’s 28-yard line.
After a 1-4 start in the red zone, the Vols found the checkered endzone on their fifth trip.
Sampson’s streak would continue! A 7-yard touchdown run by the junior gave him 18 on the season and the Vols regained the lead, 14-10.
That score tied Gene McEver’s 95-year-old single-season rushing touchdown record.
He also has the most rushing touchdowns through eight games in SEC history.
Almost on cue, the Vols found their stride in the second half.
After several dominant stops by the defense, none were more exciting than Will Brooks intercepting Gavin Wimsatt and returning it 67 yards before the QB made the tackle.
Two plays later, Iamaleava threw a touchdown pass.
The play demonstrated great field awareness, as he was rolling to his right he spotted Kitselman in the back of the endzone by the goal post and he threw across his body and slightly behind himself to a wide open Kitselman.