The Tennessee Volunteers went to Atlanta and had its way with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday night, winning 45-24.
The Vols ran for a staggering 299 yards, with DeSean Bishop leading the way with 20 carries for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Radarius Jackson led all pass catchers with three grabs for 63 yards. Faizon Brandon was 10/21 for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Arion Carter and Amare Campbell both paced the Vols’ defense with eight total tackles each. Mariyon Dye had two sacks for Tennessee’s defense, which totaled four for the game.
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Tennessee jumped out quickly on the Yellow Jackets, forcing a three and out. They finished a three-play drive with a play action pass to Ethan Davis, who just made it to the end zone for a 25-yard score and a 7-0 lead in less than two minutes.
Things went Tech’s way a bit from that point. They turned a 14-play drive into a short field goal, and they stopped Tennessee’s offense deep in the Vols’ own end on the next drive. But Vols punter Jackson Ross took way too long to get the ball off, and Tech blocked the punt and recovered it for a touchdown and a 10-7 lead.
But Tennessee took control of the game from that point for good. Cooper Ranvier made a 31-yard field goal after Tennessee’s own 14-play drive. Then, five plays later on second-and-2, Dejuan Lane read a bubble screen beautifully and jumped it for a pick six and a 17-10 lead. After a punt, Brandon laid a ball perfectly to Braylon Staley to the back shoulder in the end zone for a 24-10 lead with about four minutes left in the half, and the Vols would take that lead into the locker room.
The second half started with more of the same. Bishop broke through and rumbled 17 yards to cap a 75-yard drive and give the Vols a 31-10 lead. But Tech drew the margin back to 14 points on their own 75-yard drive on a two-yard pass to former Alabama RB Justice Haynes.
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That would be the score going into the start of the fourth quarter with Tech having goal to go. But a Jeremiah Telander sack and a fourth down pass break up in the end zone kept the lead at 31-17, where it would stay until inside five minutes left. Bishop broke free up the middle for a 29-yard touchdown with 4:21 left to ice it. The Yellow Jackets would add on another short Haynes touchdown with 1:39 left and onside kick it, but Tennessee recovered. Daune Morris broke free and finished the scoring with a 47-yard touchdown.
Up next for Tennessee is Kennesaw State on Saturday, September 19.
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