What a strange world we live in – okra $4 a pound, climate change speeding our direction and both teams are undefeated for the third football Saturday of October.
Can you imagine approaching the Tennessee-Alabama game actually wondering which team will win?
The crisp and energetic Volunteers overwhelmed bumbling LSU Saturday in Baton Rouge, 40-13. What a treat it was when the Tiger multitude retreated and gave up “Death Valley” to the visitors’ celebration.
And the visitors did indeed celebrate. Tennessee is 5-0. It has three wins against Southeastern Conference foes. This one didn’t project as a romp to the untrained eye. The betting line was three points. It was that close for 74 seconds. The home team mishandled the opening kickoff. Special teams hero Will Brooks got it. Soon thereafter Jamari Small got a touchdown. LSU never got close.
Small led the winners with 127 rushing yards on 22 carries and accounted for two touchdowns.
Hendon Hooker did just fine, thank you. He completed 17 of 27 for 239 and two scores. He again contributed as a runner. He absorbed one hard hit and lost the ball. Vol fans held their breath while the star quarterback checked to see if all the parts were still connected.
Bru McCoy had another career day. He went past 100 in receiving yardage against Florida and caught seven for 140 against LSU. Jalin Hyatt had two touchdown catches.
Tennessee’s defense earned a full share of the applause. Vols sacked Tiger quarterback Jayden Daniels five times and applied consistent pressure. He threw for 300 yards but got mostly so-whats.
LSU’s running attack was knocked down to 55 yards on 28 tries. Think Byron Young, Aaron Beasley and Roman Harrison applying heat and hits.
Defensive back Dee Williams, idled the first four games by injury, turned his first touch into a 58-yard punt return. Trevon Flowers picked off a late pass that might have dulled the glow only a little bit.
Brian Kelly, the former Notre Dame coach with the fat $95-million contract, helped the Vols. His fourth-down calls that went bad factored in 17 points.
“We have to coach better,” he said.
An LSU fan was more emphatic: “Brian Kelly looks more and more like a supremely expensive mistake.”
Another said “Brian Kelly coaches like he has never coached football before. Going for fourth-and-10 near midfield is beyond stupid.”
Tennessee cashed in that opportunity four seconds before intermission to make the score 23-7. It was 20-0 before the Tigers had caught their breath.
Josh Heupel thought he saw good things coming. The coach said Tuesday’s practice was outstanding. Wednesday was more of the same or better. He told the team.
“When I heard that, I knew,” said Young.
The Vols had to do it again in the game. There was no taking this one for granted. It was a big deal.
The linebacker said “Everybody was doubting us … We had to be extra locked in.”
Heupel said he was really proud of the finished product.
“I thought they played extremely hard early. Did a lot of really good things.”
Oops, he wasn’t overjoyed with field goals when he expected touchdowns.
“Defensively, we were relentless … controlled the line of scrimmage … created some negatives in the run game with sacks … did enough to get off the field on third downs.”
Getting off the field after fourth downs was decisive. The Tigers went for it four times and failed three times. Memorable was fourth and one at the LSU 46 in the second quarter. Beasley met a running play up the middle was stopped it for minus one.
As fast as the Vols could line up, Hooker dropped an absolutely beautiful bomb. Hyatt ran under it. Chase McGrath converted. Tennessee led, 20-0. A lot of Tigers, those with and without helmets, looked stunned.
This was the old ball game.
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com