Rapid Reaction: Vanderbilt stuns Tennessee to secure bowl berth
Vanderbilt claimed its title Saturday night: state champs.
Not only did Vanderbilt secure bowl eligibility on the field with a 45-34 victory, but the Commodores eliminated any hope Tennessee had to play in the Sugar Bowl this bowl season.
Butch Jones suffered his second loss as Tennessee’s head coach to Vanderbilt, his first coming in 2013 to James Franklin. The loss has placed his fourth-year program in a position of uncertainty heading into the bowl season and off-season.
What I liked
For Vanderbilt, Ralph Webb became the program’s career rushing leader. He finished with 116 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including the final score that extended Vandy’s lead.
Kyle Shurmur passed for a career-high 416 yards and two touchdowns.
Tennessee came out quick on offense, setting the tone for the game. Mike DeBord expanded the playbook and was balanced on the opening drive with 56 yards on five plays that was capped off by an Alvin Kamara 14-yard rushing touchdown.
After taking a 14-7 lead toward the end of the first quarter, defensive coordinator Bob Shoop dialed-up a much needed three-and-out stop so that the Volunteers offense could get the ball back and expand on the lead.
Josh Dobbs had another brilliant performance: 340 yards passing and two touchdowns.
What I didn’t like
Tennessee’s defense was pushed around again. The Vols gave up 608 yards.
Despite that, the Vols had a chance, but Jones made a curious decision to go for it on fourth down in the final minutes. The Vols trailed by 11. A field goal would have made it a one-score game.
Instead, Dobbs passed to Alvin Kamara, who ran out of bounds before picking up the first down.
Vanderbilt then ran out the clock.
Who’s the man
So many choices. Shurmur had a career day. Dobbs had another 300-yard game. Webb broke Vandy’s career rushing record.
But it’s hard to ignore Derek Barnett. The junior defensive end tied the great Reggie White for sacks in a career. Barnett recorded his 32nd sack on the last play of the first half by sacking Shurmur for a loss of 11 yards. Barnett could easily be eyeing an early departure for the NFL, leaving him a one final game remaining to add to his record.
Kyle Shurmur led Vanderbilt to victory behind a 21-34 performance for 416 passing yards and two touchdowns through-the-air.
Up next
The Vols are playing the waiting game. They will have to wait-and-see where the bowl selections fall in place and see where their destination will be.
Vanderbilt, which would have qualified for a bowl based on its high APR score, kicked down the door and gained eligibility by winning its sixth game.
Good game Butch. Your defense is terrible and you’re probably gonna get rolled in your bowl game. Hey Bill Belichick….I’ll have some of what you’re having. Good night.
Congrats to Vandy. They wanted it more than we did I guess. Frustrating end to a weird season.
Well who is UT gonna hire after next season? My guess is Lane Kiffin…………..oh wait haven’t they tried to float that boat before?
Sure as hell ain’t gonna be Hugh Freeze.
Sorry couldn’t help myself Great game for Vandy. I was high on UT before the season but I guess injuries just ruin season’s. sucks for Butch I guess his seat is gonna be hot just like Freeze entering next season.
Ain’t nothing wrong with losing to a quality Vanderbuilt team. Like Butch said – these boys are champions at life! Just keep building baby because Bob Stoops will have this defense right and ready to hold up that crystal ball come next year!!!
I really hope this is sarcasm…
Troll masquerading as a UT fan. Ignore him and he’ll go back under his bridge.
SEC East has 6 teams going bowling and the west has 5 lol
And yet, the 2 West tms not bowling would be favs vs EVERY tm in the East. Lmfao.
We would be favs but I doubt that we would win lol. good game Vandy
That’s about as idiotic of a comment as they come. The final few weeks of this season have proved that Bama is all that separates the East from the West. You’re living in the past, catch up to reality please
Right when the UT offense looks like championship quality over the last 4 games, the defense looks like a last place middle school squad. 34 points should have been more than enough to beat Vandy, but instead we give a less than mediocre quarterback a record performance. Maybe next year we’ll have a good defense, but with our luck our offense will suck (anyone remembering the Crompton era?)
SDS Article Last week: “Butch Jones doesn’t understand criticism over current state of Tennessee program”. Anyone think he understands now?
Nah bc we are still a young team still learning how to win……aint that right Butch. Jimmy Cheek better get his pocket book ready if UT wants a real coach.
Congrats to Vandy…they played like they wanted to win and got it done. But for the life of me I can’t figure Tennessee out, they have great tradition, one of the biggest stadiums in college, and probably top 5 in practice and training facilities. But they get smashed in the face by Vandy with a stadium of 50,000 at best, high school training facilities etc. No disrespect to them but very embarrassing for Tennessee and the fans.
Congrats Vandy! That’s two very strong games to end the season.
Look on the bright side Vol fans, you won the championship of life! Congrats Vandy.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
[collapses]
Mike Deboard > Bob Shoop and Deboard sucks. Hell go after James Franklin.
Ole Miss vs Tennessee in the Aww Shucks Champions of Life Bowl. My prediction:
Winning team: 84
Losing team: 81
Combined yards: 2,500
Nvmd, we aren’t bowl eligible. \_(–)_/
I love this comparison. Two very very good offenses stifled by miserable defenses
Tennessee won the Champions of life title last week and lost it 7 days later. Tennessee isn’t even the Champion of Tennessee anymore.
This is hilarious.
Too bad Butch jones can’t graduate with Dobbs. The disastrous duo has been losing us games for years. I thinks it’s time to go back to SEC football. Let these kiddy coaches like Jones and de’scrub go back to D3.
I don’t know why Tennessee fans are so upset about the Vanderbilt loss.
After all, they have already won one Championship, had confetti raining down on them, Championship Hat, Championship T-shirt and won “The Battle of Bristol”.
Who else can say that?
Good point.
Sugar bowl to toilet bowl in one game. Gotta love Butch Jones. Tennessee has a great record for a team that was outplayed in 8 games. From Champions of Life to participation trophies.