So the Vols stumbled a little bit in Oxford over the weekend. And stumble might be putting it kindly.
They gave up a school-record 282 yards to an opposing rusher. They had their first letdown game of the season. And they missed a chance to likely earn a spot in the Top 25.
Simply put, it wasn't a great day. Here's a closer look at what went down in Tennessee's 42-17 loss at Ole Miss on Saturday:
Turning Point:
This one's pretty clear cut.
Despite Dexter McCluster's run to that point, Tennessee had an opportunity to retake momentum - and take the lead for the first time in the game - after Wes Brown's interception in the third quarter.
But that possession, which began inside Ole Miss territory, ended after just four plays. From there, Ole Miss took control and Tennessee lost its chance to end the season on a five-game winning streak.
What Happened:
It's another easy call.
Ole Miss finally found a way to get the ball in the hands of its best player, and the Vols didn't have an answer.
It was easy to spot McCluster running loose. It was tougher to tackle him, and in some ways, it was even tougher to figure out where the problem was with Tennessee's defense.
With the exception of Tim Tebow, the Vols have done a top-notch job of limiting opposing stars. Mark Ingram, Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Alshon Jeffery all had their moments, but Tennessee contained them all.
The Vols schemed all week to stop McCluster, but it appeared at times that they were out of position. They missed safety Janzen Jackson, too, and Tennessee's lack of depth on defense showed up again.
All those were factors, but the bottom line is Tennessee couldn't contain the opponent's best player, essentially for the first time this season.
Game Ball Goes To...
Tennessee didn't exactly have a standout performer on either side of the ball.
That said, I'm going with Brown. He's battled through knee pain all season long, but he's come to play every week. And despite all that, he did his part with a big play in the third quarter that could have made a big difference.
Tennessee just couldn't quite take advantage.
Up Next:
Vanderbilt comes into Neyland Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff having lost seven in a row, its longest losing streak since 2003.
That might sound like good news for the Vols, but Vanderbilt has a history of playing them tough. Still, the Commodores are struggling offensively and quarterback has been unsettled for most of the season.
Kentucky, which has had some injury issues on defense this year, held Vandy to just one first down and fewer than 40 yards of total offense in the second half on Saturday. That's not a very good sign, especially for a team playing in its 11th game of the season.
Oh, and Vanderbilt has played those 11 games without an off week, either, something that should play to Tennessee's advantage.
What happend to the Thompson who was injured!! We can find no report on him-we are concerned!!
Linda -
I understand the concern. That was a pretty scary injury, but LaMarcus Thompson is doing fine.
After being carted off the field at Ole Miss, he was taken directly to a hospital in Oxford for evaluation of his head and neck. Doctors released him in time to fly back to Knoxville with the team.
Coach Kiffin said he was extremely sore on Sunday, but Thompson should be just fine. Kiffin even said there's a chance he might play against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
It sounds like really good news for LaMarcus.
-- Drew