EDITOR”S NOTE: Each week, we grade Tennessee’s performance as it relates to General Neyland’s famous seven maxims of football. Welcome to the Rocky Top Report Card.
By SCOTT FELTS
On a cloudy and sometimes rainy day, at a sold-out Neyland Stadium featuring the Smokey Grey “Neyland Legacy” uniforms, No. 17 Tennessee shook off a sluggish first half and earned a hard-fought 24-14 Southeastern Conference win over Auburn.
Here’s how the Vols graded out on each of General Robert R. Neyland’s seven Game Maxims.
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. (Grade: B)
Tennessee committed far fewer penalties (4 for 30 yards) than Auburn’s season-high 11 for 94 yards, which is always a decisive factor in a tight game. The Vols also protected the football better after the early going: Faizon Brandon’s interception at the Tennessee 19 set up Auburn’s only first-half touchdown, but George MacIntyre came in at QB finished 8-of-10 without a pick. Auburn’s Byrum Brown was intercepted twicend the Tigers turned the ball over three times overall. Tennessee had 3 fumbles but only lost one. Fewer flags and cleaner second-half ball security carried the day, though the early interception kept it from an A.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way…SCORE. (Grade: A)
The Vols lived this maxim in the third quarter. Dejuan Lane’s interception and 32-yard return set Tennessee up at the Auburn 44; on the very next snap, DeSean Bishop exploded 44 yards for a touchdown. Earlier, after forcing a punt, MacIntyre’s 42-yard strike to Mike Matthews sparked an 82-yard scoring drive capped by a Bishop 25-yard touchdown run. In the fourth, the defense got a fourth-and-one stop at the UT 24, with Jeremiah Telander and Nathan Robinson meeting Omar Mabson II for no gain. Five plays later, Bishop punched in the 5-yard clincher. When the breaks arrived, Tennessee scored.
3. If at first the game or the breaks go against you, don’t let up … put on more steam. (Grade: A)
Trailing 7-3 at halftime after a scoreless first quarter and Brandon’s costly interception, the Vols did not wilt. They outscored Auburn 21-7 in the final 30 minutes. Bishop carried the load with personal-bests in attempts (34), rushing yards (220) and TDs (3). MacIntyre directed all three second-half touchdown drives, and the defense forced turnovers and the previously mentioned game-sealing fourth-down stop. The “put on more steam” mentality was pure Neyland and the difference in the 24-14 final.
4. Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game. (Grade: A-)
Cooper Ranvier was perfect, making a 36-yard field goal and all three PATs, and after Auburn blocked a punt last week, the Vols avoided a similar fate on Saturday. After MacIntyre entered, the pocket held up well enough. The lead was protected after the 17-7 advantage: the fourth-and-one stonewall and Tevis Metcalf’s interception at the one-yard line with 57 seconds left sealed it. Brandon’s early pick and a couple of first-half sacks prevented a perfect grade, but the second-half protection of the lead and the ball was excellent.
5. Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle … for this is the WINNING EDGE. (Grade: A-)
“Oskie” rang out twice: the third-quarter pick by Lane, who also had two sacks, 2.5 TFLs, a hurry, and nine tackles; and Metcalf’s first career interception that ended Auburn’s final drive. Amare Campbell matched Lane with nine tackles and added a sack/TFL. The front seven pursued and gang-tackled all afternoon, highlighted by the Telander-Robinson fourth-and-one stop. Tennessee recorded four sacks for 17 yards lost. Coverage tightened after the half and the winning edge belonged to the defense.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made. (Grade: A)
Field position mattered. Tennessee’s early second-quarter drive started at the Auburn 42 after a Tigers punt and produced Ranvier’s field goal. The Vols forced multiple punts and used the resulting short fields. Auburn’s special teams did not create major negative plays either way, and neither side returned a kick or punt for significant yardage. Vol punter Jackson Ross put five punts inside the 11 yard line which was a huge factor in the game.
7. Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes. (Grade: A+)
This was the maxim the Vols embodied most completely. After a flat first half, Tennessee seized control in the third quarter with Bishop’s back-to-back touchdowns and never relinquished the fight. Bishop’s 220-yard, three-TD masterclass, which was the 12th-highest single-game rushing total in program history, kept the pressure on Auburn on the ground for four quarters. The defense stayed aggressive for 60 minutes. MacIntyre’s calm insertion kept the offense moving. From the moment the second half kicked off, the Vols kept the Tigers on their heels.
Overall Grade: A-
The Volunteers delivered a classic “Neyland Legacy” game: overcome adversity, capitalize on the breaks, protect the lead, and carry the fight for 60 minutes. Bishop’s career day, MacIntyre’s relief effort, and the opportunistic defense would have made the General proud.