Volunteers Overcome Ohio Bobcats, 28-19
The Tennessee Volunteers hosted the Ohio Bobcats in a high noon showdown at Neyland Stadium Saturday. It didn’t take long for the Vols to come out of the gate running. Within 38 seconds of official game play, a 20 yard pass made it from quarterback Josh Dobbs to Josh Malone to make the first Tennessee Touchdown of the afternoon. The rest of the quarter foreshadowed what the game was going to be – a slight struggle for the Tennessee offense. After their drive being stopped by the tough Ohio defense, the first score from the Vols was to be the only one during the first quarter.
The Volunteers’ defense held strong in the red zone to limit the Ohio Bobcats to two field goals in the first quarter of play. After stopping 2 drives down the field, they limited the Bobcat offense to a field goal with 8:05, then again with 3:04 left in the first. First quarter score was a nail biting 7-6.
After a long drive at the end of the first, the second quarter opened with another touchdown for the Tennessee Volunteers. With it being 2nd down and short, Jalen Hurd jumped over the pile-on to roll over into the checkerboard. With an Arron Medley extra point, the Vols widened their lead 14-6. It didn’t take long for the Bobcats to try and drive the ball back into Tennessee territory. This time they got within 30 yards, but just couldn’t make it happen. Zervos got yet another field goal, and the bobcats tried to catch the Volunteers, coming within just five points.
The Tennessee offense just couldn’t make anything happen, and, for the first half, Dobbs was negative in his rushing yards. The defense was clearly wearing down on the hot day after having so much time on the field, but the Ohio offense just couldn’t make it past field goal range. With the fourth field goal of the day coming from the Bobcats, halftime festivities began with the score a painfully close 14-12.
The second half started out very quiet from both offenses. It looked as if neither team was going to put on much of a show when, late in the third, with 4:57 left, after another 55 yard drive, Josh Dobbs ran 13 yards into the checkerboard with a keeper to put a little more of a cushion in the Volunteers’ lead, 21-12.
The breathing room didn’t last for long, after a little fake from the Bobcat offense made it past the wall that was the Volunteer defense and resulted in a four yard touchdown pass. The bobcats were closing in once again 21-19.
Early in the fourth quarter, Jalen Hurd dove the ball 28 yards down the field, opening the gate for Dobbs to find his new favorite target – Malone. Josh Malone caught a 20 yard pass from the senior quarterback to extend the lead with a touchdown. An extra point from Medley was the last time either team scored for the rest of the game, and the Tennessee Volunteers move on to 3-0 with a score of 28-19.
Defensively, Emanuel Mosley racked up 8 tackles for the afternoon, and Colton Jumper brought down 7. They both reached career highs this afternoon, along with Rashaan Gaulden and Baylen Buchanan, as they were filling in for Vols defense members who are on the injury list.
The win wasn’t pretty for the Volunteers, as they walked into this game being the 27 point favorite over the Ohio Bobcats. Also, two worries for the Volunteers as they prepare to face Florida next week are the injuries to both Cam Sutton and to Jalen Reeves-Mayben. The Sutton injury, which has been stated to be a broken bone in his lower right leg, could cause him to be out for an “extended period of time,” according to Coach Jones. Little is known about the Reeves-Maybin injury, other than it appeared to be his shoulder.
Next for the Vols, the number 23 Florida Gators are visiting Neyland from The Swamp. Gametime is set for 3:30, and also will be broadcast on CBS.
