THE DAY AFTER: KENTUCKY
Credit: Cole Moore/RTI
In yet another day of chaos around College Football, slow and steady wins the race for the Vols in Week 10
When we previewed the Week 10 slate in College Football over the last few days, we were aware of the big, consequential games going down on Saturday. We even identified them in our “Games that Vol fans need to pay attention to” segment on Friday’s episode of Under Review:
- #13 Indiana @ Michigan St.
- Texas Tech @ #11 Iowa St.
- #10 Texas A&M @ South Carolina
- #18 Pitt @ #20 SMU
- #4 Ohio St. @ #3 Penn State
Little did we know how impactful the outcomes in some of those games would actually be when it comes to Tennessee’s standing in their climb to the College Football Playoffs.
Indiana becomes exempt from this group because they absolutely mauled Michigan St. yesterday 47-10 after falling down 10-0 early. Feels like they 100% belong in the conversation at 9-0, with lots of style points to boot. But beyond that, it sure was chaotic! Iowa St. loses their first game to Texas Tech, which could be all they need to be eliminated from the CFP at-large conversation, Pitt also loses their first to a surging SMU team in convincing fashion...all but wiping out their postseason ambitions, while SMU helps their own case considerably. Penn State, performed like a vintage James Franklin team in a critical matchup: started out strong against Ohio St., then slowly died on the vine as the game wore on in losing their first game of the season. Texas A&M most definitely had a hangover from their LSU win, getting ambushed last night at South Carolina 44-20, and now, the Aggies go from being in the SEC Championship catbird seat to just another aspiring team in a pack of too many good teams with exactly the same ambition.
And then add in the fact that Clemson and Kansas State each lost their second game of the season, and everything was shaping up SO nicely for Tennessee...all the Vols had to do was win their game against a seriously wounded and vulnerable Kentucky team, and the narrative will swing back to Tennessee being situated nicely in the Field of 12 when the inaugural rankings that matter drop on Tuesday night.
But with all of that hanging in the balance, Tennessee found themselves trailing at halftime to that wounded and vulnerable Kentucky team I mentioned. The Cats came out with nothing to lose, and it was working, largely in part to Tennessee starting slow and appearing sluggish on the field. The Vol defense gave up their first 1st half touchdown of the season, and on the offensive side, there were some pretty critical dropped passes out there too. Quick fun fact: In Tennessee’s last 4 games, the offense has had 10 trips inside their opponents 35 yard line in the first half. Those 10 trips, have resulted in 7 points scored...total...and that 7 came against Kentucky. Honestly, The Vols were fortunate to only be trailing 10-7 at the half in this one! But the second half was a different story, which tracks with this season’s edition of the Vols, and Tennessee emerges with a 28-18 win.
The Vols now stand at 7-1 and by way of all the carnage on Saturday around the country, Tennessee is still very, very much in the College Football Playoff conversation...matter of fact, you could argue that they’re in better shape than they were going into the weekend. Because in this new world of the CFP, every week is a mini-season...so win the week, and no matter how you get there, it matters! With that, I want to offer some observations that came out of that win against Kentucky...some things that are promising, and some that...keepin’ it real here, are more concerning.
Credit: Cole Moore/RTI
-Nico Iamaleava is evolving...quickly: There’s very little doubt that Nico’s best performance of the season to date was against Kentucky. After some concerning performances against Arkansas, Florida and for part of the Alabama game, #8 started his course correction in the second half of that Bama win, and carried it over to Saturday night. Nico was 28-38 passing for 292 yards and a touchdown. To be fair to Nico, his numbers could’ve been even better...like 400ish yards passing and 2-3 more touchdowns...if receivers could simply hold on to the ball! We saw Nico’s “escapability” on full display against the Cats, and by having him be able to do that, he gets to cook a lot more, which results in positive plays that prompt me to say it again: for all of you who pushed the panic button early and said that Nico was no better than Joe Milton...or even Jarred Guarantano...shame on you, and STOP IT! This kid has attributes that neither of those guys have, so it’s unfair to measure him that way. Instead, measure the progress coming off of his “rock bottom” moments of a few weeks ago. If you do that, you can’t help but be optimistic and excited about what the future holds for our Quarterback!
Now, about those receivers...
-The Vol receiving corps is “mid”: This one has been building for me...I had so much optimism about our receivers before the season started. I remember saying “the biggest dilemma for Heupel and Nico will be which receivers get the most run...and who will have to sit”. Well, kinda-sorta, that has been the case, but for entirely different reasons than we would have imagined back in August. To me, we really haven’t had a WR1 or WR2 emerge on this team this season. Sure, Bru McCoy’s as dependable as they come, and Donte Thornton had made some big plays (when he gets legitimate snap time on the field), but where has Squirrel White gone in this offense? I know more recently, he’s been banged up, but his productivity this season versus last season is through the floor. Chris Brazzell was the focus of so much excitement for our offense, and he's made some electrifying catches this season, but then also vanishes at times. Same for Chaz Nimrod. And Mike Matthews clearly isn’t going to get meaningful playing time this season...which we know is the Josh Heupel way with true freshman. It just goes to show you the way this unit has mostly treaded water this season. At one point earlier in the season, I declared the 2024 Wide Receiver room may be stronger than the 2022 edition. In hindsight, that was a major miss on my part. Now, in Game 8 of the regular season, your two Tight Ends (Kitselman and Staes) combined for 9 catches, 123 yards and a touchdown. Not the target share I imagined for this offense when this season began...but ride the wave I suppose. This much I know: by the time Georgia rolls around, we simply cannot have the amount of dropped passes we’re seeing with this wide receiver unit if we intend to win in Athens and be a legitimate playoff contender.
-Dylan Sampson...single season record holder: What else can you say about Dilly-Dilly?!? I’ve said it before: if the Vols offense is a car, this kid is the motor for that car! He becomes the all-time single season leader in school history for touchdowns scored, and added another performance for the ages last night. 27 carries, 142 yards and 2 TD’s. Enjoy the dominance while we can...this guy is as special as they come, and I shudder to think where we’d be this season without him.
Credit: Cole Moore/RTI
-The Defense swung this game: After a choppy first drive, the Vols D settled in, and were the key to this win. I have no doubt that the Will Brooks interception was a timely kill shot to the Cats, but James Pierce and James Josephs were absolutely lethal in this game...particularly in the second half. The amount of pressure that they put on the Kentucky QB’s was the difference maker...their relentlessness put Vandagriff out of the game, and exhausted Wimsatt, and relegated Kentucky to who they really are in the second half. Add in another INT by Andre Turrentine and a Jeremiah Telander fumble recovery off of Josephs strip-sack of Vandagriff, along with strong play by Daevin Hobbs, Jalen Smith, and Boo Carter, and the steady storm that is the Vol defense prevailed yet again, and continues to be the defining aspect of this team’s success.
-Help Wanted: Placekicker: Clearly, something has happened to Max Gilbert. After being lights-out for most of the season, the field goal misses have piled up in the last two games for the true Freshman, including 3 on Saturday, all from very makeable distances. And these were not “near-make” misses. I don’t know if it’s “the yips”...and Josh Heupel was clear in saying postgame that Gilbert’s still his guy, but again, in a game with such small margins for error like the one coming up at Georgia will likely be, multiple missed field goals at critical moments can keep this team out of the playoffs...this is one to watch closely as we head into the biggest game of the season in less than two weeks.
As for next week, the Vols move on...survive and advance, everything is still in front of them. Next up, a 2-7 Mississippi State team that trailed after the 1st quarter to UMass 10-0 before righting the ship and taking care of a team who has two wins against Central Connecticut State and Wagner. In short, this should not be a difficult opponent...AT ALL...the Vols are an early 23.5 point favorite. After Saturday’s win, we take nothing for granted...and style points still matter...here’s hoping our guys learn from some of the low points against Kentucky and build on those. Couple that with what went right against the Cats, and Tennessee should have a happy Homecoming against Cowbell U next week.
