PITTSBURGH – It wasn't easy by any means, but Tennessee has recorded a monumental road win over a higher-ranked opponent.
Taking on No. 17 ranked Pitt on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, the 24th-ranked Volunteers were able to take care of business and earn a 34-27 victory. Tennessee certainly made it tougher than what it should've been, but Josh Heupel's club doesn't care how it won. All that matters is that they did win.
As the Vols' offense put up 416 yards and was led by Hendon Hooker and Cedric Tillman, the defensive unit paved the way by forcing a pair of turnovers and recording four sacks. It was an all-around team effort – something that almost always proves to be the difference.
Now 2-0 on the season, Tennessee returns to action next Saturday at home against Akron. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee certainly didn’t get off to the start it was hoping for – by any means. After quickly going three-and-out on its opening drive with three incomplete passes by Hooker, Pitt struck first with a 30-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead at the 10:27 mark of the first quarter.
Following another punt by the Volunteers, Pitt went back to work. On the first play of their drive, the Panthers received a 76-yard touchdown run out of Israel Abanikanda, which pushed their lead to 10-0.
Tennessee finally got on the board with 1:02 remaining in the quarter, as Hooker threw a 24-yard pass to Jacob Warren to ultimately set up a one-yard score for Jabari Small. It capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive that took 3:14 and brought the Vols within 10-7.
Although he took a big hit by a Tennessee defender, Kedon Slovis still launched a perfect pass to Gavin Bartholomew, who then hurdled over Trevon Flowers for a 57-yard Pitt touchdown. The big play finished off an 83-yard series that lasted 2:32 and put the Panthers up 17-7 early into the second quarter.
Shortly after Pitt’s score, the Vols answered with a 32-yard strike from Hooker to Bru McCoy. The wideout reeled in the catch near the left sideline and made his way into the endzone to cut Tennessee’s deficit to 17-14 at the 10:04 mark.
After the Vols’ defense made a big stop by sacking Slovis on fourth down, Tillman caught a pass from Hooker and sprinted 61 yards – all the way down to the Pitt one-yard line. Just one play later, Small ran it in to give Tennessee a 21-17 advantage with 4:56 left in the half.
Recovering a Slovis fumble and having the ball on the Panthers’ 28 with 14 seconds on the clock, the Volunteers were able to add three points to their side of the scoreboard with Chase McGrath’s 37-yard field goal – which sent Tennessee into the break with a 24-17 lead.
While Pitt missed a pair of field goals in the third quarter, Tennessee had a punt blocked and coughed up the ball on a rushing play – making it a rough frame for both sides.
The Panthers had a chance to score a touchdown to open the fourth, but Byron Young sacked Nick Patti and they had to settle for a field goal – which was a 35-yard make by Sauls and made it 24-20 Tennessee with 14:07 remaining in the game.
Answering Sauls’ kick, McGrath followed up with one of his own – nailing a 51-yard field goal to give the Vols a 27-20 lead with 8:57 left.
Just over six minutes later, Pitt responded with a long drive and capped it with a four-yard touchdown pass from Patti to Jared Wayne. That play knotted things up at 27-27 with 2:23 on the clock.
Although Tennessee punted and Pitt took over at its own 15 with 19 seconds still left in regulation, the Panthers decided to take a knee and send the game into overtime.
As Pitt won the coin toss and elected to defer, Tennessee got the ball first and scored on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Hooker to Tillman – which made it 34-27 Vols.
Needing a score to extend the game, Pitt threw an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-long and the Vols were able to come out on top.
*****
– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.
– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.
– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @TMansfieldMedia, @JNichols_2121, @DavisMoseley, @LukeWinstel.
