UT at VU Postgame Notes

Nov. 29, 2014

Recap |  Final Stats |  Quotes |  Photo Gallery 

POSTGAME NOTES

TENNESSEE TIDBITS

In its 118th season of football, UT's all-time record now stands at 810-367-53.
UT stands at 74-29-5 in their 108 overall of meetings with Vanderbilt since 1892. The 108 meetings so far are the second-most in any UT series, eclipsed only by 110 games against Kentucky since 1893.
The Vols own a 37-18-4 advantage in games played in Nashville, and are 37-11-1 in all-time Knoxville contests against the Commodores.
Despite losses in two consecutive games, the Vols have won 30 of their last 33 games over Vanderbilt since 1983, including 15 of their last 16 contests in Nashville during that span.
UT is 314-125-21 all-time in November and 13-2-1 on November 29. UT is also 45-17 in November since 2000, as well as 82-20 in November over the last 24 seasons since 1990.
With a lost coin toss to Vanderbilt, the Vols have now lost 16 of their last 18 flips in regulation play.
UT is 1-1 when winning the coin flip and 5-5 when losing the toss in 2014.
Tonight's attendance: 40,350. The attendance marked a sellout crowd at Vanderbilt Stadium.

VOLS REACH WIN NO. 6

With a win over Vanderbilt, Tennessee is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2010, when the Vols were 6-6 and played in the Music City Bowl.
UT's bowl berth will be the 50th in Tennessee's history. Prior to the game against Vanderbilt, the Vols were tied with USC and Georgia for the fourth-most bowl appearances in history with 49.
The victory over Vanderbilt also gives UT its first two-game road win streak in SEC play since 2006 (at Georgia on Oct. 7 and at South Carolina on Oct. 28).

TENNESSEE CAPTAINS

#11 Joshua Dobbs, #54 Jordan Williams and #56 Curt Maggitt represented the Vols for the pregame coin toss.

FIRST CAREER STARTS FOR UT

Tennessee started six true freshmen against Vanderbilt: #1 Jalen Hurd (TB), #4 Vic Wharton (WR), #9 Derek Barnett (DE), #44 Jakob Johnson (LB), #73 Jashon Robertson (RG) and #82 Ethan Wolf (TE).
#4 Vic Wharton made his first career start at wide receiver, in place of #18 Jason Croom, against Vanderbilt. Wharton marks the 11th true freshman to make a start on offense or defense for Tennessee this year (12th including kicker #25 Aaron Medley).
#4 Wharton was the seventh true freshman to start on offense for UT this year: #1 Jalen Hurd, #3 Joshua Malone, #4 Vic Wharton, #55 Coleman Thomas, #73 Jashon Robertson, #80 Daniel Helm and #82 Ethan Wolf (TE).
#4 LaTroy Lewis made his first career start against the Commodores on defensive line, in place of #50 Corey Vereen.

OFFENSE

VOLUNTEER PLAYMAKERS

#11 Joshua Dobbs rushed for 91 yards on 21 carries with one touchdown, while he was also 11-of-20 for 92 yards passing against Vanderbilt.
#15 Marlin Lane rushed for 51 yards on 16 carries against the Commodores.
With less than three minutes left in the first half, Dobbs connected with #2 Pig Howard for a 33-yard pass, putting UT on Vanderbilt's 16-yard line. Howard led the receiver unit with five catches for 55 yards on the night.
With a 36-yard successful field goal attempt in the first quarter, #25 Aaron Medley tied for fifth-most field goals made in a single season (19) with Jeff Hall (1998) and Greg Burke (1990) on Tennessee's all-time list.
Tennessee's 94-yard offensive drive on their final possession before the half was the longest for the Vols this season.

HOW THEY SCORED

#23 Cameron Sutton returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, putting the Vols on the board first in the contest. The return marked Tennessee's first true punt return for a touchdown since Cordarrelle Patterson returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown against Vanderbilt on Nov. 17, 2012. Prior to his 76-yard touchdown return, Sutton had 72 total yards on 11 returns so far this season.
#25 Aaron Medley made a 36-yard field goal in the first quarter, giving the Vols a 10-0 lead. On the season, Medley is 19-of-25 on field goal attempts.
#11 Joshua Dobbs ran for a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter, giving Tennessee a 16-10 lead prior to an extra-point attempt by Medley.
Dobbs ran for an eight-yard touchdown in the third quarter, marking his third game with multiple rushing touchdowns in 2014.
#25 Aaron Medley made his three PATs against Vanderbilt, improving his season PATs to 36-of-37 on the year.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING

LaDarrell McNeil led the Vols with seven total tackles, including six solo tackles against the Commodores.
With two sacks in the game, #56 Curt Maggitt's 11 sacks on the year now put him tied for fourth place with Leonard Little (1995) and Todd Kelly Sr. (1992) for sacks in a single season.
#9 Derek Barnett recorded five tackles and one sack against Vanderbilt. Barnett now has 20.5 TFLs on the year, fifth-most in a single season at UT, and is tied for sixth-most sacks in a single season all-time alongside Ronnie McCartney (1975) with 10.
#27 Justin Coleman intercepted a pass in the Vanderbilt endzone to begin the second quarter, recording his team-best fourth interception of the year and the fifth of his career.
#95 Danny O'Brien (NT) had five tackles against the Commodores, a new career high for tackles in a single game.
#23 Cameron Sutton recorded his 14th pass defended in the third quarter, tying him for fifth-most all-time by a Vol in a single season with Roshaun Fellows (2004), Rashad Baker (2001) and Terry Fair (1997).
#6 Todd Kelly Jr. intercepted a pass at the Tennessee 25-yard line, marking his third interception of the year.
#37 Brian Randolph intercepted a Vanderbilt pass at the Tennessee 43-yard line in the third quarter, his second interception of the year.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PUNTS BY DARR

#43 Matt Darr punted seven times for an average of 48.4 yards against Vanderbilt, including a 60-yarder landing at the two-yard line in the fourth quarter. On the season, Darr has 29 punts inside the 20-yard line and 21 punts of 50 or more yards.

MCDOWELL LEADING SPECIAL TEAMS

#20 Cortez McDowell had two tackles against Vanderbilt to improve his team lead to 13 special team tackles on the year.

ODDS AND ENDS

CURRENT TRENDS

The Vols were trending nationally on Twitter with the topics: "Cam Sutton", "Derek Barnett" and "Neyland West".

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Originally ruled an incomplete pass for Vanderbilt, the call was reversed following review to give #6 Todd Kelly Jr. an interception and Tennessee the ball on their own 25-yard line.
Ruled an interception by #37 Brian Randolph, the ruling on the field was upheld following review.

University of Tennessee Athletics