KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Call it a “Gator Hangover.”
Tennessee played down to its competition Saturday at Neyland Stadium, pulling out a lethargic 17-13 victory over winless UMass before fewer than 80,000 in actual attendance.
A 28-point favorite, Tennessee didn’t control the line of scrimmage and didn’t control the game against a much weaker opponent.
Yes, UMass did give Florida, Mississippi State and South Carolina fits last year, but these Minutemen aren’t as good as last year’s team. Yet they managed to throw a scare into a Tennessee team that looked like a .500 team, if that.