KNOXVILLE - With everything to gain Saturday night, Tennessee found a way to lose.
And now the questions really begin.
The Volunteers moved the football well. Their defense did a good job of slowing down BYU. But leading by three points and needing to make just one play to seal a victory, the Vols lost Cougars receiver Micah Simon for a 64-yard gain that led to a Jake Oldroyd field goal with one second left in the fourth quarter.
BYU 29, TENNESSEE 26, 2OT
Staff writer Gene Henley breaks down the game in bits and pieces.SATURDAY’S STARTy Chandler had one of his best games as a Volunteer, rushing for 154 yards with carries of 53 and 27 yards. The rushing total was 4 yards off his collegiate high, set against the University of Texas at El Paso last season.SATURDAY’S STATThe Vols rushed for 242 yards, had two players with more than 75 yards on the ground (Chandler, 154; freshman Eric Gray, 77) and didn't score a rushing touchdown. Both touchdowns came on Jarrett Guarantano passes to Jauan Jennings.TURNING POINTUnable to salt the game away offensively, the Vols punted to BYU with just more than a minute remaining and leading 16-13. A LaTrell Bumphus sack had the Cougars facing second-and-18, but quarterback Zach Wilson scampered for 12 yards before a busted coverage led to a 64-yard completion to Micah Simon that resulted in a field goal that forced overtime.HIGHLIGHT PLAYTennessee hadn't scored a touchdown on its opening possession since Jeremy Pruitt took over as head coach prior to the 2018 season. That changed in odd fashion as Guarantano fired a pass into triple coverage that bounced off a BYU defender's hands and right into those of Jennings.WHAT IT MEANSFor the second straight game, Tennessee relied on the foot of its kicker while the opposing team went for the win. Now 0-2 for the first time in 31 seasons, the Vols will have what should be a gimme game against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga next weekend, but will anybody be there to watch it?
Two overtimes later, Ty'Son Williams forced his way into the end zone for the winning touchdown, and Tennessee is now faced with its first 0-2 start since 1988 after a 29-26 loss to the Cougars in front of 92,475 at Neyland Stadium.
The Vols will face Football Championship Subdivision member UT-Chattanooga at noon next Saturday before starting Southeastern Conference play a week later at Florida.
Tennessee spent the past week trying to explain away the shame that came with an inexplicable loss to a team it was expected to beat handily. The Vols appeared to lack effort and seemed unprepared against Georgia State. Against BYU, the problem didn't appear to be effort.
Tennessee came out with a ton of energy, and its offense dominated between the 20-yard lines, rushing for 242 yards. The Vols scored a touchdown on their first possession of the game, a first under second-year coach Jeremy Pruitt.
Ty Chandler was excellent, rushing for 154 yards. Freshman Eric Gray continued his solid start to the season, adding 77 yards on the ground. Jauan Jennings led the receivers with 88 yards and both Tennessee touchdowns.
For the second straight game, the problem for the Vols was what they did inside the opposing 20-yard line. Tennessee was limited to four Brent Cimaglia field goals, which allowed BYU to stay in the game.
The Vols held BYU to 107 yards on the ground and had shut down quarterback Zach Wilson until the big completion to Simon on third down, a play after Wilson had a 12-yard scamper on second-and-18.
Oldroyd connected on the final of three field goals to force overtime.
The Cougars took their first lead of the game in the first overtime when Wilson threw to Talon Shumway for a 14-yard touchdown, but Tennessee junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano found Jennings on third-and-10 in the end zone for a 13-yard score.
The Vols had to settle for a Cimaglia field goal in the second overtime, and BYU responded with a three-play drive that ended in Williams' score.
Williams led BYU with 92 rushing yards and two scores, and Wilson had 232 yards through the air.
Guarantano finished 17-for-28 passing for 176 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.