Tennessee upsets Kentucky
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee spoiled this Kentucky team's streak-busting reputation and maintained its home domination of the rivalry.
Jarrett Guarantano threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Callaway on the final play of the first half and Darrell Taylor recorded four sacks as Tennessee trounced No. 11 Kentucky 24-7 on Saturday. Tennessee has won its last 17 home games against Kentucky, which hasn't beaten the Volunteers at Neyland Stadium since 1984.
“I think the whole team felt very confident going into this game,” Guarantano said. “I know we were struggling last week (a 14-3 victory over Charlotte), but this week was different.”
Tennessee (5-5, 2-4 SEC) has reason to feel confident whenever it hosts Kentucky (7-3, 5-3).
Kentucky had ended one long run of futility earlier this season when it won 27-16 at Florida to snap a 31-game skid in that series. But the Wildcats couldn't reverse their history of frustration in Knoxville.
“I didn't know nothing about the streak until yesterday,” Kentucky defensive end/outside linebacker Josh Allen said. “I wasn't worried about no streak. I was worried about getting our next win and just go from there.”
Tennessee broke the game open by scoring two touchdowns in the last three minutes of the second quarter.
After Tim Jordan's 3-yard TD run gave Tennessee a 10-0 lead with 2:56 left before halftime, the Vols forced a punt and got the ball back at their own 28-yard line with a minute remaining.
Tennessee initially appeared intent on running out the clock, but the Vols called a timeout after Ty Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano (2) celebrates with linebacker Darrin Kirkland.
Chandler's 14-yard carry with 13 seconds left. Guarantano threw a 17-yard completion to Callaway that put Tennessee on Kentucky's 39 with 6 seconds remaining.
Rather than trying a short, quick pass to set up a long field-goal attempt, Guarantano threw deep. Callaway was at the front of a crowd in the right side of the end zone when he snared the ball to give Tennessee a 17-0 halftime advantage.
“We were a little bit out of field-goal range, so we took a shot in the end zone,” Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “I thought Jarrett did a good job evading a little bit of rush there, stepped up in the pocket and made a good throw to give us a chance, and Marquez went up and got it.”
Guarantano went 12 of 20 for 197 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to Dominick Wood-Anderson that extended Tennessee's advantage to 24-0 in the third quarter. That lead proved insurmountable against a dispirited Kentucky squad.
Kentucky's hopes for its first SEC championship game appearance had disappeared with a 34-17 loss to No. 5 Georgia (No. 5 CFP) last week, but the Wildcats still were in position for a potential New Year's Six bowl appearance if they had won their final three-regular season games.
The Wildcats now likely must settle for a less prestigious bowl. Tennessee is one victory away from bowl eligibility after going winless in SEC competition last year.
Tide roll: Alabama's offense didn't put up the video game-like numbers that had seemingly become commonplace. The defense played so well, again, that it didn't matter.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide had its second straight shutout in a 24-0 victory over No. 16 Mississippi State on Saturday, while Josh Jacobs ran for a touchdown and caught a scoring pass.
With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa still battling a gimpy right knee, the Tide (10-0, 7-0) turned to defense for another vintage performance.
“I think in this day and age, you not only get judged on whether you win but you get judged on how you win,” Tide coach Nick Saban said. “I never thought I'd ever be in position to say that you get style points but the way our system is, that may be the way it is.”
The offense had already banked plenty of style — and real — points along the way.
Alabama raced to a fast start but mostly stalled from there against the Bulldogs (6-4, 2-4) and the nation's No. 2 scoring defense.
Tagovailoa started the fourth quarter on a stationary bike after getting his right knee checked out in the medical tent following a low hit. He didn't return and wasn't needed, mainly because of a defense that was overshadowed by an offense that had led the nation in scoring much of the season.
Saban said Tagovailoa could have returned if needed.
“He got hit low a few times out there today,” Saban said. “He got hit in the front of the knee and not the back, which is where his problem was. I think he's OK.”