For the first time since 1994, UT was shut out. And it couldn’t have come at a worse time for Butch Jones, whose seat gets even hotter.
Here are our live updates from the Vols’ 41-0 loss to No. 7 Georgia.
Fourth Quarter
Guarantano is sacked on the next drive after moving the chains once. That should be Tennessee’s last chance to score points.
5:40 — Georgia adds a 19 yard field goal.
8:47 — Guarantano is sacked on fourth down after another negative yardage pass on third down. All three of his completions are checkdowns to his running backs.
12:00 — Georgia finds the endzone again. This time it’s Brian Herrian from a yard out.
12:51 — Darrell Taylor was just ejected for “fighting.” That penalty gives you an automatic disqualification.
14:54 — Guarantano badly overthrows Jeff George on third down to start the fourth quarter. I’m not sure it’s going to get much worse for the Vols…but as I type that, Trevor Daniel’s punt is blocked on the very next play.
Third Quarter
Jarrett Guarantano is in the game at last to take the last couple snaps on the third quarter, just like last week. At the end of the third quarter, Tennessee has seven punts and five first downs.
1:04 — Sony Michel runs for a 21 yard touchdown run on the following possession. Georgia marched right down the field, covering 55 yards on six plays in 3:04.
4:15 — Dormady can’t find Byrd on third down, forcing Daniel onto the field to punt once again. So far in the second half, John Kelly has been stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage three times. UT is looking for some kind of offensive answer, but I’m not sure the Vols can score without help from the Georgia offense with a turnover.
5:12 — Quinten Dormady under-throws Brandon Johnson deep to the left side, but Georgia is called for defensive pass interference. On the next play, Marquez Callaway nearly catches a deep ball on the sideline, but he dropped it as he hit the turf. His head hit the turf pretty hard. He’s down shaken up on the play.
6:59 — Georgia is forced to punt after a chop block sets them back on third down. Nigel Warrior made a nice open field tackle to stop Michel on 3rd & 21, who had a lot of room to run. UT will take over at its own 12.
10:30 — John Kelly catches a pass over the middle for a gain of 44 yards…then he fumbles. Absolutely nothing is going the Vols’ way right now. Georgia will take over at its own 33 yard line.
12:37 — Georgia marches right into Tennessee territory on its first drive. The Bulldogs were stopped on third down, but Kirby smart ran the offense out on the field after initially bringing the punter out. UT elects to use a timeout.
Half
Quinten Dormady didn’t have a great first half. In fact, it couldn’t have been much worse.
The junior quarterback completed one pass that was targeted more than five yards from the line of scrimmage. He was 0-for-7 on targets farther than ten yards past the line of scrimmage.
A big storyline from Butch Jones this week had to do with “staying on schedule” with positive yardage on first down. UT has only faced third and long (seven yards or more) four times today.
Two of the Vols’ three turnovers came on first down. UT averaged 3.2 yards per first down. That included six touches for John Kelly, who gained an average of five yards per rush on those plays.
The Bulldogs have been stuffed at the line on 16% of their runs. Meanwhile, the Vols have been stuffed on just two runs, putting their stuff rate at 11%.
Second Quarter
1:45 — Quinten Dormady is sacked after Tennessee got a couple first downs. Marcus Tatum has had a rough day so far in his second start of the season.
4:14 — It’s Fromm again. He keeps it on the read option, easily scampering into the endzone for a touchdown run.
7:00 — Dormady is picked off on Tennessee’s first play. It was a great deep ball, but Josh Palmer just dropped it, and the Bulldogs were able to catch the deflection.
7:13 — Fromm scrambles for a nine-yard touchdown run. UT got good pressure on the outside, but the freshman bolted up the middle again for a big gain.
8:04 — Georgia gashes UT on third down again. D’Andre Swift carries for 22 yards up to the ten. The Vols’ defenders are in position, but are struggling to make tackles.
9:04 — Tennessee gets two pass rushers in the backfield but can’t wrap up Fromm on third down. He moves the chains with a 15-yard gain, easily alluding Phillips and Kongbo.
11:01 — Another three-and-out for Tennessee. Dormady targeted Tyler Byrd over the middle, but the sophomore couldn’t gain enough separation to haul it in.
Dormady is 2-for-9 so far. His two completions came on intermediate routes to Jeff George and John Kelly. He’s 1-for-6 outside the hashmarks.
12:10 — Colton Jumper just nailed Jake Fromm on third down with a blindside blitz. That’s the second time a UT pass rusher has gone untouched to the quarterback.
Colton Jumper introduces himself to Jake Fromm. pic.twitter.com/2HorPKekRO
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) September 30, 2017
14:12 — Two plays later, UT gives the Georgia the ball right back. Jashon Robertson gave Dormady a bad snap, and the Bulldogs were able to fall on it. They get the ball at their own 29-yard line, negating Martin’s pick.
Justin Martin picks off Fromm to start the second quarter. UT takes over at the Georgia 27-yard line.
First Quarter
At the end of the first quarter, Tennessee didn’t do a great job staying on schedule offensively. The Vols averaged three yards per first down.
:35 — Tennessee goes to the wildcat formation on third and three, but Kelly is stuffed for a gain of one.
Trevor Daniel hits a nice punt that lands on the one-yard line. The referees initially ruled that Justin Martin downed it on the two, but changed their mind and called it a touchback.
2:10 — Justin Martin makes a great breakup on third down to end Georgia’s ensuing drive without a first down. Tennessee will get the ball at its own 24-yard line after a 28-yard punt.
3:46 — UT takes its first timeout of the first half. The Vols are having success running the ball in the two tight end set. The inside tight end splits to the weakside of the run to pick up the tackle, while the guard pulls downfield. Fils-aime and Kelly have been able to find some room up the middle in that formation.
4:52 — Tennessee finally moves the chains for the first time on a Dormady pass to Jeff George. Then Carlin Fils-aime gets another first down on the next play up the middle.
6:10 — Georgia finds the endzone on a 12-yard pitch and catch from Jake Fromm to Javon Wims, who rose above Shaq Wiggins.
6:17 — Georgia just used its second timeout of the half with the play clock winding down. Fromm is having a tough time communicating with his offense.
7:06 — Nigel Warrior nearly had a pick in the endzone, but the referees ruled that the pass hit the ground. It looked like the right call.
Nigel Warrior nearly had a one handed interception here, but the pass is ruled incomplete. pic.twitter.com/W81sC2CJe0
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) September 30, 2017
8:05 — Fromm finally finds an open man on third down. After a near interception by Emmanuel Moseley, Fromm finds Godwin for a gain of 24 deep into UT territory.
9:05 — Quinten Dormady goes up top to Marquez Callaway on third down, but his throw falls out of bounds. He was under heavy pressure and had to throw off his back foot.
UT is trying to get the ball to its receivers on the outside today after having most of its success over the middle last week. Three of Dormady’s four throws so far have been outside the hashmarks. Dormady was 10-of-19 on throws to the outside against UMass.
10:34 — Georgia goes three-and-out. Kendal Vickers made a nice sack on first down, but he went untouched to the quarterback.
Kendal Vickers goes untouched to the quarterback on first down. pic.twitter.com/jzfGJy2ytJ
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) September 30, 2017
UT gets off the field after a Jayson Stanley drop on third down. He beat Emmanuel Moseley deep, and would’ve gained about forty yards if he held on to the ball. But Moseley recovered well, breaking the pass up as Stanley fell to the ground.
13:37 — Marcus Tatum is called for a false start as the Vols get the ball back. Then John Kelly gets stuffed for no gain. Not a great start on two first downs for Tennessee.
13:42 — Georgia goes six yards, but Fromm almost threw a pick on third down. Darrell Taylor got great pressure on the quarterback, but wasn’t able to hit the freshman before he got the ball away.
The Bulldogs go 4 plays, 7 yards in 1:19, kicking a 38-yard field goal to score first.
Robertson is indeed the starting center. On play number one the Vols go with an empty backfield. Dormady’s pass is intercepted by Tyrique McGhee. The pass was intended for Josh Smith.
Dormady stared down his target again on that play, looking for Smith on a two yard out. McGhee jumped it with ease, making a diving catch.
