There are lots of reasons to be excited about Tennessee football blowing out the Syracuse Orange to open the season in Atlanta. However, it wasn’t clear from the jump that this was going to be an easy ride. As always, even blowouts come down to just a few key moments in a game. Here are the turning points from UT’s 45-26 season-opening victory.
Syracuse illegal shift opening-drive penalty
After the Vols’ opening drive stalled and ended in a field goal, the Orange made it look like they were going to be tough to deal with. They seemingly converted a 3rd and 5 just past midfield and could have scored a TD to take the lead. However, an illegal shift penalty waived off that completion, pushed them back, and they were unable to convert, forcing a punt. UT scored on the next drive to go up 10-0, but it could have been different.
Colton Hood fumble return TD
Down 10-0, Syracuse forced a Joey Aguilar fumble in the second quarter, nullifying a 49-yard drive by Tennessee football and giving the Orange a chance to cut it to a one-score game. However, backup defensive tackle Nathan Robinson forced a fumble by Steve Angeli, which Colton Hood recovered and ran into the end zone for a touchdown. This effectivley put the Vols in complete control.
Braylon Staley 73-yard TD reception from Joey Aguilar
Fran Brown’s Orange were able to respond to Hood’s touchdown with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive to cut the lead to 17-7. All of a sudden, this could have been a game. Two plays later, Aguilar hit the deep ball in a way Nico Iamaleava rarely did for the Vols last year, finding Braylon Staley for a 73-yard touchdown pass to put the Vols up 24-7.
DeSean Bishop 47-yard run
Once again, Syracuse cut it to 10 in the second half with a touchdown to make it 24-14, and once again, the Vols responded. This time, DeSean Bishop had a 47-yard run on the second play of the next drive. It didn’t seem like much, but that allowed UT to turn up the tempo and complete what would be a 75-yard touchdown drive to go back up three scores, 31-14, and take that lead into halftime.
Jalen McMurray sack
After going up 38-14 in the second half, Syracuse scored two touchdowns, and failed on two two-point conversions, to cut it to 38-26. They then had the ball and a chance to cut it to one score. However, on 2nd and 6, Jalen McMurray had a huge sack deep in ‘Cuse territory thanks to a brilliantly designed Tim Banks blitz. That killed the drive, and Tennessee football then scored on its next drive to put the game out of reach.
