Tennessee beats Georgia Tech in double overtime, 42-41: 3 takeaways
By John Buhler
The Tennessee Volunteers somehow find away to beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in double overtime, 42-41. Here are the three takeaways from this game.
What a finish to Week 1 of the 2017 NCAA season. Though the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets looked to be in the driver’s seat against the Tennessee Volunteers all game, it was Rocky Top that came out on top in double overtime, 42-21.
Both teams battled hard, but it would be the Volunteers that would get a big neutral site win over the Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech. Tennessee found a way to win another close game. Maybe the Volunteers take this thrilling win and find away back to Atlanta in the 2017 SEC Championship?
Here are three takeaways from the Volunteers’ last-second win over the Yellow Jackets.
Takeaways
Georgia Tech misses Harrison Butker terribly. For the last few years, Georgia Tech had one of the most reliable kickers in the Power 5 in Harrison Butker. However, he now kicks professionally for the Carolina Panthers.
Known for his ability to make clutch kicks, let’s just say that it was not a great debut for Shawn Davis on Monday night. While he made all of his point after attempts, his first two field goal attempts were atrocious.
He hooked his first attempt nowhere close to the upright. That missed kick, in a way, allowed the momentum to go finally in Tennessee’s favor. At the end of regulation, Davis would get iced twice and have his second field goal attempt block. Monday night had to shatter that kid’s confidence. It was sad.
Tennessee has a garbage can the players can dunk on when they force a turnover. Just when Tennessee could not get any more hokey under head coach Butch Jones, entering the Team 121 plastic garbage cans. When Tennessee forces a turnover this season, the player that comes up with the ball can dunk on said raised garbage can. It’s so trashy, pun intended.
The gimmick got old immediately, shortly after the Volunteers’ first forced turnover. It was a go-to eyesore than ESPN loved to show the Volunteers try to dunk on. The No. 121 associated with the trash drums represents the 121st team in Tennessee football history.
Now that we know this fact, we’ll just have to deal with the aerial dunk fests that are to ensue when the Volunteers force a turnover. At this rate, there will somewhere around 24 dunk attempts this season. Who knows how many make it in the drum?
Going for two in the second overtime was not the right call. For as thrilling as this game ultimately became, Johnson’s decision to go for two in second overtime will be debated by the Yellow Jackets’ fan base for some time. Though they almost got in, that’s just a tough way to lose a game.
Georgia Tech dominated time of possession 56:27 to 18:33 and still lost. The Yellow Jackets rushed the ball 86 times for 535 yards, six touchdowns and couldn’t come away with a victory. Once this one went to overtime, you could tell it was going to be the Volunteers who would come out on top.
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It was a thrilling weekend in college football. This game and the one on Sunday night between the Texas A&M Aggies and the UCLA Bruins definitely had us on the edge of our seats. College football is back!