The Daily Times

TENNESSEE 51, GEORGIA STATE 13

Georgia State 3 3 0 7 — 13

Tennessee 7 21 13 10 — 51

FIRST QUARTER

UT 10:46 — Neal 1 yard rush (Palardy kick good)

Tennessee didn’t have any problem going 78 yards on 13 plays to take an early 7-0 lead on an out-matched Georgia State defense. All three Tennessee running backs got carries as the Vols ran it eight times and threw it five times on the drive. Neal capped the drive with a 1 yard run for the score.

13 plays, 76 yards, 4:14, UT 7-0

GS 4:06 — Benvenuto kick good (32 yards),

Georgia State silenced an already quiet 87,821 fans at Neyland Stadium, driving 65 yards in 14 plays including a third-and-15 and fourth-and-1 conversions. GSU kicker Christian Benvenuto was good from 32 yards out to cut the Tennessee lead to 7-3.

14 plays, 60 yards, 6:40, UT 7-3

SECOND QUARTER

UT 10:58 — Bray 19 yard pass to Rivera (Palardy kick good)

Bray started his string of touchdown passes with a 19-yarder to Mychael Rivera on a play-action pass to the corner of the end zone. Bray faked to Cordarrelle Patterson on an end-around, the same play that burned N.C. State last week, and the Georgia State defense bit, leaving Rivera wide open in the front-right pylon.

2 plays, 40 yards, 0:30, UT 14-3

GS 5:37 — Benvenuto kick good (30 yards)

Georgia State proved the first drive wasn’t the fluke many inside Neyland Stadium hoped it was. The Panthers took advantage of a still-adjusting Tennessee defense, going 28 yards in nine plays after recovering a Marlin Lane fumble at the Tennessee 41. Benvenuto was good again, this time from 30 yards away to make the score 14-6.

UT 4:11 — Bray 25 yard pass to Hunter (Palardy kick good)

Bray found Hunter for the first time on the afternoon on a wide open out route in the end zone for a21-6 lead. The route would be there all day in the soft Georgia State secondary. Bray, finding his rhythm at that point, didn’t miss, either.

4 plays, 73 yards, 1:20, UT 21-6

UT 1:29 — Bray 11 yard pass to Hunter (Palardy kick good)

Tennessee didn’t need a two-minute drill. The Vols took possession with 2:10 left in the first half at their own 21 yard line and covered the 79 yards in just three plays — a 23-yard completion to Mychael Rivera, a 45 yard completion to Cordarrelle Patterson and a 11 yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter. Tennessee was in the end zone just 41 seconds after taking possession.

3 plays, 79 yards, 0:41, UT 28-6

THIRD QUARTER

UT 11:11 — Neal 5 yard run (Palardy kick fail)

Rajion Neal’s second effort was good enough to get over the goal line from 5 yards out. Michael Palardy missed his second point after attempt of the year after Neal’s run. Devrin Young’s 30-yard run highlighted the 72-yard scoring drive.

6 plays, 72 yards, 2:36, UT 34-6

UT 8:02 — Bray 19 yard pass to Hunter (Palardy kick)

Bray completed a pair of passes to Justin Hunter on a four-play, 62-yard drive, including a 19-yarder for a score and a 41-6 lead. The drive included Cordarrelle Patterson’s 18-yard gain out of the wildcat formation, where freshman Justin King took the snap.

4 plays, 62 yards, 1:18, UT 41-6

FOURTH QUARTER

UT 8:38 — Brodus kick (25 yards)

Michael Palardy’s struggles got former Alcoa kicker Derrick Brodus a shot, and Brodus delivered. He connected on a 25-yard field goal attempt to cap a grinding, clock-running 14-play, 47 yard drive that took over five minutes off the game clock.

14 plays, 47 yards, 5:26, UT 44-6

UT 5:47 — Watson 2 yard run (Brodus kick)

Quenshaun Watson took advantage playing with the second team offense in the fourth quarter. The freshman running back capped a 20 yard drive with his first career rushing touchdown, scoring from 2 yard out. Watson carried five times for 20 yards on the five play drive.

5 plays, 20 yards, 1:30, UT 51-6

GS 0:58 — McLane 12 yard run (Benvenuto kick)

Georgia State quarterback Ben McLane gave the GSU band and the Panther fans that made the trip something to celebrate with a 12 yard scramble for a touchdown with less than a minute left on the game clock.

12 plays, 80 yards, 4:42, UT 51-13

TEAM STATISTICS

GS UT

First Downs 22 27

Passing 186 374

Cmp-Att-Int 18-41-1 22-28-1

Rush 41-92 43-184

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

TENNESSEE RUSHING

Neal 13-68

Young 8-46

Lane 8-31

Watson 7-29

Patterson 1-18

TENNESEE PASSING

Bray 18-20-0 310 4

Worley 4-8-1 64 0

TENNESSEE RECEIVING

Hunter 8-146 3

Rivera 4-70 1

Patterson3-71

Carter 2-35

Young 2-11

Lane 1-12

Neal 1-12

— Grant Ramey