Tennessee goes in to the half up against Oklahoma despite having a rough showing.
The first half of the matchup between the Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners concludes with Tennessee holding a commanding 19-3 lead.
Both teams struggled to find their offensive rhythm early on. A pivotal moment came in the first quarter when Tennessee’s standout defensive back, Jermod McCoy, intercepted Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold. McCoy, reading the play perfectly while in zone coverage, baited Arnold into the throw, setting the tone for the Vols. Tennessee capitalized on this turnover, kicking a field goal to open the scoring.
Oklahoma responded with a field goal of their own, but Tennessee quickly countered with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Nico Iamaleava to Dont’e Thornton, showcasing Iamaleava’s impressive arm. By the end of the first quarter, he was 5-of-6 for 120 yards and a touchdown.
The second quarter proved more challenging for Iamaleava and the Vols. A missed assignment by Dayne Davis, filling in for the injured Lance Heard, led to a sack as Iamaleava was hit while attempting to throw. However, Oklahoma’s offense faltered as well, with Arnold fumbling the ball on a rush due to a forced strip by Joshua Josephs inside the 10-yard line.
The Oklahoma defense created some problems for Tennessee, forcing punter Jackson Ross to kick three times, including a booming 57-yarder that pinned the Sooners at their own 4-yard line. Jayson Jenkins then tackled Javontae Barnes in the end zone, resulting in a safety—Tennessee’s second safety in as many weeks.
Despite a strip sack leading to Iamaleava’s second fumble of the half, Tennessee quickly recovered a fumble on the ensuing play when Arnold threw a backward pass that Jakobe Thomas snagged. This turnover set up a touchdown run by Dylan Sampson, extending Tennessee’s lead just before halftime.
Unfortunately for the Volunteers, they did suffer a couple of injuries during the half. Boo Carter left the game and did not return, heading to the locker room with a towel over his head. Additionally, John Campbell exited with a lower-body injury and is not expected to return.
As the teams prepare for the second half, the Vols will receive the kickoff, looking to build on their lead.
