Tennessee’s Justin Coleman (27) forces Kentucky quarterback Reese Phillips to fumble, turning the ball over for a Big Orange touchdown during their game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014.KNOXVILLE – A tough football weekend for fans of Signal Mountain Middle/High School hit rock bottom with 5:07 to play in Saturday afternoon’s first quarter between Tennessee and visiting Kentucky.
Having already endured a loss in the state playoffs to Loudon on Friday night, whatever Signal fans were in Neyland Stadium’s stands to support former quarterback Reese Phillips, now a backup for Kentucky, watched a Phillips pass returned for a touchdown by Volunteers defensive back Brian Randolph.
The pick six left the Wildcats down 14-3. It also further signaled the continued improvement of a UT defense that picked off two UK passes and limited an offense averaging nearly 30 points (29.4) and more than 400 yards a game to 16 total points and 262 total yards in the Vols’ 50-16 win, its fifth of the year against five defeats.
Win one more and the Big Orange are bowl-eligible for the first time since 2010.
“The Brian Randolph touchdown to put us up by two scores really got things rolling for us,” Vols coach Butch Jones said. “(And) holding them to 3-of-14 (on third-down conversions) — that’s a very good, explosive offense.”