Vols cage ‘Cats, move to #2 nationally before showdown with #1 Georgia

Published 8:08 am Tuesday, November 1, 2022

By Ivan Sanders

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Riding 422 yards of total offense, the Tennessee Vols continued their march to Saturday’s showdown with the Georgia Bulldogs who are ranked as the #1 team in the nation by the AP Sportswriter’s Poll with the Vols now tied for second with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
In a game that many considered a ‘trap’ game for the Volunteers who might have been looking ahead to this Saturday’s showdown in Athens, the game belonged to the Vols from start to finish.
Heisman candidate quarterback Hendon Hooker outshined Kentucky’s Will Levis whom many considered to be one of the top draft options at quarterback for the upcoming NFL draft.
Hooker finished 12-of-14 for 245 yards and three touchdowns through the air and gained 23 more yards on the ground with one rushing score.
Meanwhile, Levis didn’t even break the 100-yard mark as he completed 16-of-27 for 98 yards with three interceptions and four sacks.
Jalin Hyatt continued to be the main target with five receptions for 138 yards and two scores breaking the all-time record for receiving touchdowns in the process.
The nation’s #1 offense
Tennessee entered Saturday leading the nation in both total offense and scoring offense with an average of 50.1 points per game, but scored just seven points in the first quarter. However, Tennessee’s notoriously quick offense began to take shape as the second quarter began, scoring three touchdowns in the next 15 minutes of gameplay.
By the end of the night, the Vols had achieved their highest margin of victory against a ranked SEC team since 1990.
The Vols’ 44-point game marks the 11th straight time that UT has scored 30 or more points dating back to last season. The streak currently stands as the longest in school history and the longest active streak in the SEC.
Before Saturday’s matchup, the Wildcats had held opponents to 24 or fewer points in 11 straight games. The Vols had reached 27 points before the end of the first half.

Give Them (Just) Six 

The six points for Kentucky was the fewest total Tennessee has conceded against a Power 5 opponent since Jan. 1, 2016 against Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. It also marked the lowest total for an SEC opponent since holding Mississippi State to three points on Oct. 18, 2008, in a 34-3 victory inside Neyland Stadium.

Rockin’ on Rocky Top

Tennessee earned its fifth-ranked victory of the season on Saturday night. It entered the day tied with TCU for the national lead and finished the evening in sole possession of the distinction. The Vols have now captured six ranked wins in the Heupel era, with two of them coming against Kentucky.
The home supporters at Neyland Stadium have been witness to three such games this season and the energy around Knoxville has been palpable, with Saturday evening’s game marking the fifth consecutive sell-out at home. That streak stands as the longest sell-out stretch since 2007.
The Volunteers are also off to an 8-0 season for the first time since 1998, when Tennessee finished the year undefeated and won a national championship.

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