Western Kentucky 20
Tennessee 52
Saturday, September 7, 2013 12:21 PM
(ET)
Recap: Tennessee 52, Western Kentucky 20
SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 7, 2013
Tennessee 52, Western Kentucky 20: Justin Coleman and Cameron Sutton both returned interceptions for touchdowns during a 57-second span in the first quarter and the host Volunteers forced six-first half turnovers in cruising past the Hilltoppers.
Rajion Neal rushed for 74 yards and three touchdowns and Marlin Lane ran for 97 yards and another score to lead Tennessee (2-0), which jumped out to a 31-3 early in the second quarter after forcing five turnovers over a span of six plays.
Western Kentucky (1-1), which upset in-state rival Kentucky 35-26 in Bobby Petrino's coaching debut a week earlier, finished with seven turnovers and became the first team since Oklahoma State (6) in the 2010 Cotton Bowl against Ole Miss to have five turnovers in a single quarter.
The Hillltoppers, who outgained Tennessee in total offense 393-383, took an early 3-0 lead when Garrett Schwettman kicked a 37-yard field goal to cap an impressive 14-play, 55-yard opening drive of the game. But Tennessee rebounded to break the game open late in the first quarter by converting five Western Kentucky turnovers, including the back-to-back interception returns by Coleman and Sutton, into 24 points.
Western Kentucky quarterback Brandon Doughty completed 17-of-34 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted five times.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Sutton became the first Tennessee freshman since Eric Berry in 2007 to return an interception for a touchdown. ... The 24 first-quarter points were the most for the Volunteers in an opening quarter since they scored 27 in a 2000 game against Memphis. ... DL Corey Miller's personal foul penalty with 34 seconds remaining in the first half was the first penalty of the season for Tennessee.
Sep 7, 2013
Tennessee 52, Western Kentucky 20: Justin Coleman and Cameron Sutton both returned interceptions for touchdowns during a 57-second span in the first quarter and the host Volunteers forced six-first half turnovers in cruising past the Hilltoppers.
Rajion Neal rushed for 74 yards and three touchdowns and Marlin Lane ran for 97 yards and another score to lead Tennessee (2-0), which jumped out to a 31-3 early in the second quarter after forcing five turnovers over a span of six plays.
Western Kentucky (1-1), which upset in-state rival Kentucky 35-26 in Bobby Petrino's coaching debut a week earlier, finished with seven turnovers and became the first team since Oklahoma State (6) in the 2010 Cotton Bowl against Ole Miss to have five turnovers in a single quarter.
The Hillltoppers, who outgained Tennessee in total offense 393-383, took an early 3-0 lead when Garrett Schwettman kicked a 37-yard field goal to cap an impressive 14-play, 55-yard opening drive of the game. But Tennessee rebounded to break the game open late in the first quarter by converting five Western Kentucky turnovers, including the back-to-back interception returns by Coleman and Sutton, into 24 points.
Western Kentucky quarterback Brandon Doughty completed 17-of-34 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted five times.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Sutton became the first Tennessee freshman since Eric Berry in 2007 to return an interception for a touchdown. ... The 24 first-quarter points were the most for the Volunteers in an opening quarter since they scored 27 in a 2000 game against Memphis. ... DL Corey Miller's personal foul penalty with 34 seconds remaining in the first half was the first penalty of the season for Tennessee.
