10 years ago the Tennessee Vols had one of the craziest sequences ever in a game
On September 7, 2013, the Tennessee Vols had one of the most bizarre sequences that I've ever seen in a college football game. A week after beating Austin Peay in the season opener, Tennessee took the field against Western Kentucky — which was coached by former Louisville/Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino that season — for […]
On September 7, 2013, the Tennessee Vols had one of the most bizarre sequences that I've ever seen in a college football game.
A week after beating Austin Peay in the season opener, Tennessee took the field against Western Kentucky — which was coached by former Louisville/Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino that season — for the second game of the Butch Jones era.
Western Kentucky opened the game with a seven minute drive that ended with a field goal. After the Vols punted on their first possession, a small amount of concern started to set in at Neyland Stadium.
Fans, after all, were still trying to figure out how much the progress the program had made in Jones' first offseason. And with Petrino on the other sideline, the recipe for an upset was present.
The next sequence of events, however, saw the Vols quickly open up a 28 point lead against the Hilltoppers.
After Tennessee punted, Western Kentucky took over and it looked like they were gong to go right down the field again. After quickly picking up a first down, though, WKU quarterback Brandon Doughty threw an interception that was returned 23 yards for a touchdown by Vols defensive back Justin Martin.
Vols fans collectively exhaled after the score, though there was still some nervous tension inside of Neyland.
Western Kentucky opened their next drive with a three yard rush before putting the ball in Doughty's hands again.
And Doughty promptly threw another pick-six, this time to freshman defensive back Cam Sutton, who returned the interception 36 yards to put the Vols up 14-3.
Western Kentucky's next drive started with a fumble on the first play, which Tennessee recovered.
That's three turnovers in four offensive plays for the Hilltoppers.
Tennessee settled for a field goal which increased their lead to 17-3.
Western Kentucky then got the ball back again. And they fumbled. Again.
Four turnovers in five plays.
The Vols scored two plays later on Rajion Neal's one-yard touchdown run to put Tennessee up 24-3.
Western Kentucky, which was probably in a daze by this point, put the ball back in Doughty's hands. And again he turned it over, this time throwing a pass that was picked off by linebacker Brent Brewer (a Marlin Lane rushing touchdown would put the Vols up 31-3).
Five turnovers in six offensive plays. Absolute madness.
(Every turnover is in the video below.)
Tennessee would intercept Doughty two more times later in the game (Brian Randolph came down with both of the final two interceptions for the Vols) on their way to a 52-20 win.
