With its back against the wall, needing wins in the final two games of the season, Tennessee (4-7, 0-7 SEC) couldn’t get the job done in Nashville, falling to in-state rival Vanderbilt, 41-18.
“I feel we were playing pretty good defense in the first half,” said former head coach Derek Dooley. ” (I) felt we really only gave up one play (in the first half) and came out in the second half and not much changed on the offensive side of the ball, and (we) just couldn’t hold on, on the other side. Give Vandy a lot of credit. They are playing really well and we’re not. Just a real tough way to finish the game and a tough way for the season.”
For the second year in a row the Volunteers will not be going bowling at season’s end.
“We aren’t going to a bowl game,” said Dooley. “We got one more game left, I hope they go play for the seniors. Hope they go and compete and that’s all you can do. We have to represent Tennessee and we didn’t do a good job of that tonight.”
The Volunteer defense was stout in the first half, much like the previous week against Missouri, but as it has for much of the year, Tennessee fell apart coming out of the locker room.
The Commodores (7-4, 5-3) scored 21 third quarter points and went on a 28-0 second half run before Tennessee scored its final touchdown with 6:15 left in the contest on a Cordarrelle Patterson punt return.
“In the third quarter I think they did a good job of winning the special teams battle,” said senior defensive back Prentiss Waggner. “When they were in the red zone they got points.”
Before last season, Tennessee hadn’t experienced back-to-back losing seasons since 1910-11, and now the program suffers a third losing mark in a row.
For the underclassmen, the toughest part is sending their second group of seniors out without a chance to play in a bowl game.
“This is my second season here and the second year I’m not going to a bowl game because of the last two games,” said Justin Worley. “It hurts and I feel bad for the seniors.”
Senior wide receiver Zach Rogers tried to look at the positives, as he will play his final game in a Tennessee uniform next Saturday against Kentucky.
“It was very frustrating,” Rogers said. “Definitely not the legacy I wanted to leave here. That’s the nature of it and that’s football for you. We’ve got one more game and we’re going to bounce back and go out with a win.
“I know this one’s tough for us, but we got one more game, we have Kentucky ahead of us so we’re going to try to go out winners,” he added.
The Volunteers credited Vanderbilt and their players’ ability to execute their game plan.
“They came out and played their game,” said senior safety Byron Moore. “They believed the whole time and they fought hard. Hats off to them.”
The Vols host the Wildcats next Saturday in Knoxville in the season finale. The team looks to remain the only program in college football history to not have an eight-loss season.
