milesl
9/13/2015, 10:26 AM
http://www.knoxnews.com/govolsxtra/columnists/john-adams-vols-cant-finish-what-they-started-again_83559692
http://mediaassets.knoxnews.com/photo/2015/09/13/UTOK_5414_AL_23890167_ver1.0_640_480.jpg
Story highlights to savor
Mayfield’s statistics through three quarters offered no hint of a comeback: eight completions in 25 attempts for 84 yards and two interceptions.
His stats in the fourth quarter and two overtimes: 11 completions in 14 attempts for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
John Adams: Vols can't finish what they started — again
One of the noisiest crowds in Tennessee history was screaming in desperation midway through the fourth quarter Saturday night.
Never mind how capable the Vols had looked in building a 17-point lead over No. 19 Oklahoma or how fierce their defense had been for three and a half quarters at Neyland Stadium.
Too many times in the past eight years, UT hasn’t been able to close a deal like this. So a sellout crowd of 102,455 held its collective breath and hoped the Vols could hold their ground and change the program’s image.
They couldn’t.
Oklahoma stormed from behind to tie the game with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, then finished off the Vols in two overtimes, 31-24.
Last season’s Florida game came to mind. The Vols seemingly had that one in hand, too, before a mediocre bunch of Gators overcame a 9-0 lead in the fourth quarter for a one-point victory.
This defeat is apt to haunt No. 23 Tennessee much longer.
The 2014 Vols were just hoping to achieve a winning season. This team was threatening to put the program back on the national stage.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield had a different idea, though.
So did a Sooners defense that gave up 10 points and 117 yards in the first quarter before bouncing back to strangle the life out of UT’s offense. All-Big 12 cornerback Zack Sanchez took away UT’s last breath when he intercepted a Joshua Dobbs pass in the second overtime.
However, Mayfield was the driving force behind Oklahoma’s comeback.
For much of the game, he was so off target and so often under duress, you had to wonder if Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops would replace him with Trevor Knight, who passed for 308 yards in Oklahoma’s 34-10 victory over UT last season.
But Stoops was patient with Mayfield, a Texas Tech transfer who won the starting job in preseason. And Mayfield was undaunted.
He was also tireless. No matter how many times the UT defense chased him out of the pocket, ran him out of bounds or chased him down from behind, he just kept coming.
Mayfield’s statistics through three quarters offered no hint of a comeback: eight completions in 25 attempts for 84 yards and two interceptions.
His stats in the fourth quarter and two overtimes: 11 completions in 14 attempts for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
Meanwhile, UT’s offense — and Dobbs especially — went the other way. Tennessee managed only 137 yards over the last three quarters and two overtimes. After a 5-for-8 start for 42 yards passing in the first quarter, Dobbs was 8-for-23 the rest of the game.
Even when the momentum shifted, the Vols had their chances. Aaron Medley’s 48-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right after UT had driven as far as the Oklahoma 24 on its first possession of the second half.
Tennessee began two other third-quarter drives with great field position, once at its 44 and then at its 41. But it couldn’t budge an increasingly more aggressive Oklahoma defense.
The Vols’ best opportunity for more points came on their first possession. After driving from their 49, they were only a few inches away from the Sooners goal line when coach Butch Jones elected to kick a field goal on fourth down.
Maybe he just didn’t believe the Vols could make those inches against a team of Oklahoma’s caliber.
It’s hardly the first time UT has come up inches short in recent years. And the defeat extended UT’s record to 1-28 in its last 29 games against nationally ranked opponents.
These Vols are clearly more talented. But when Oklahoma made its fourth-quarter charge, they became just another Tennessee team that couldn’t finish what it started.
http://mediaassets.knoxnews.com/photo/2015/09/13/UTOK_5414_AL_23890167_ver1.0_640_480.jpg
Story highlights to savor
Mayfield’s statistics through three quarters offered no hint of a comeback: eight completions in 25 attempts for 84 yards and two interceptions.
His stats in the fourth quarter and two overtimes: 11 completions in 14 attempts for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
John Adams: Vols can't finish what they started — again
One of the noisiest crowds in Tennessee history was screaming in desperation midway through the fourth quarter Saturday night.
Never mind how capable the Vols had looked in building a 17-point lead over No. 19 Oklahoma or how fierce their defense had been for three and a half quarters at Neyland Stadium.
Too many times in the past eight years, UT hasn’t been able to close a deal like this. So a sellout crowd of 102,455 held its collective breath and hoped the Vols could hold their ground and change the program’s image.
They couldn’t.
Oklahoma stormed from behind to tie the game with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, then finished off the Vols in two overtimes, 31-24.
Last season’s Florida game came to mind. The Vols seemingly had that one in hand, too, before a mediocre bunch of Gators overcame a 9-0 lead in the fourth quarter for a one-point victory.
This defeat is apt to haunt No. 23 Tennessee much longer.
The 2014 Vols were just hoping to achieve a winning season. This team was threatening to put the program back on the national stage.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield had a different idea, though.
So did a Sooners defense that gave up 10 points and 117 yards in the first quarter before bouncing back to strangle the life out of UT’s offense. All-Big 12 cornerback Zack Sanchez took away UT’s last breath when he intercepted a Joshua Dobbs pass in the second overtime.
However, Mayfield was the driving force behind Oklahoma’s comeback.
For much of the game, he was so off target and so often under duress, you had to wonder if Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops would replace him with Trevor Knight, who passed for 308 yards in Oklahoma’s 34-10 victory over UT last season.
But Stoops was patient with Mayfield, a Texas Tech transfer who won the starting job in preseason. And Mayfield was undaunted.
He was also tireless. No matter how many times the UT defense chased him out of the pocket, ran him out of bounds or chased him down from behind, he just kept coming.
Mayfield’s statistics through three quarters offered no hint of a comeback: eight completions in 25 attempts for 84 yards and two interceptions.
His stats in the fourth quarter and two overtimes: 11 completions in 14 attempts for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
Meanwhile, UT’s offense — and Dobbs especially — went the other way. Tennessee managed only 137 yards over the last three quarters and two overtimes. After a 5-for-8 start for 42 yards passing in the first quarter, Dobbs was 8-for-23 the rest of the game.
Even when the momentum shifted, the Vols had their chances. Aaron Medley’s 48-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right after UT had driven as far as the Oklahoma 24 on its first possession of the second half.
Tennessee began two other third-quarter drives with great field position, once at its 44 and then at its 41. But it couldn’t budge an increasingly more aggressive Oklahoma defense.
The Vols’ best opportunity for more points came on their first possession. After driving from their 49, they were only a few inches away from the Sooners goal line when coach Butch Jones elected to kick a field goal on fourth down.
Maybe he just didn’t believe the Vols could make those inches against a team of Oklahoma’s caliber.
It’s hardly the first time UT has come up inches short in recent years. And the defeat extended UT’s record to 1-28 in its last 29 games against nationally ranked opponents.
These Vols are clearly more talented. But when Oklahoma made its fourth-quarter charge, they became just another Tennessee team that couldn’t finish what it started.