| Tennessee 38, Kentucky 35 November 17, 2001, Knoxville, Tenn.
Commonwealth Stadium  | | Casey Clausen threw for 285 in the 38-35 victory over Kentucky. | LEXINGTON--Tennessee's November losses generally make headlines, but the ones being written in Lexington would have been cause for a special Bluegrass edition.
UT kept its SEC and national championship hopes alive thanks to the biggest rally in the Phillip Fulmer era that finally subdued Kentucky, 38-35. The Vols trailed by 21 late in the first half.
"I'm proud of our kids coming back and getting the win, and you certainly have to give Kentucky a lot of credit," Fulmer said. "That's the way I remember Kentucky and Tennessee football games as a player and assistant coach. They were always a battle and always will be."
The Wildcats scratched and clawed from the opening credits. Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen showed why he is one of the league's leading talents.
The southpaw threw for 406 yards and four touchdowns while plowing across another score as Kentucky sliced through UT's defenders. Tennessee entered as the league's leader in total defense and ranked eighth nationally, allowing 275.4 yards per game. The Wildcats had 279 by halftime.
"They got a couple more on us that we thought they would," Fulmer said. "We were all over (Lorenzen), but we just couldn't get him to the ground. You have to give that kid a lot of credit; he is one tough son-of-a-gun."
Tennessee sharpened its focus late in the second quarter, closing to 21-7 when Casey Clausen found Donte' Stallworth for the first of three touchdown passes to the wide receiver. It marked Stallworth's second three-TD game in as many weeks and resulted in another career-best yardage total (169).
Midway through the third quarter, Clausen struck again - this time to Kelley Washington for a 48-yard sideline scoring toss. Less than three minutes later, the Vols leveled the count on a defensive tally.
Lorenzen's pass attempt was batted into the air by tackle Albert Haynesworth, where Rashad Moore snatched the ball and headed for the goal line. A Kentucky defender stripped him, but Constantine Ritzmann covered the loose ball in the end zone for six.
The teams traded a pair of touchdowns well into the fourth quarter before Tennessee drove for the winning field goal by Alex Walls. His 44-yarder with 2:49 remaining proved to be the winner.
But Kentucky liked its chances when the Wildcats drove back into Tennessee territory. Facing second-and-10 at the Vols 48, Lorenzen dumped a completion to Chase Harp. The UK tight end rambled for yardage, but Tennessee's Eddie Moore caused a fumble, and Will Overstreet fell on the ball at the UT 31 to secure another Big Orange triumph over the Cats.
The rally from from the 21-point deficit was the Vols' biggest comeback since overtaking Notre Dame on Nov. 9, 1991. UT trailed by 24 that day before winning 35-34. | SCORE BY QUARTERS | | TENNESSEE | 0 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 38 | | KENTUCKY | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 | SCORING SUMMARY
1st - UK - Cook 5 pass from Lorenzen (Hanson kick).
2nd - UK - Lorenzen 2 run (Hanson kick). UK - Harp 2 pass from Lorenzen (Hanson kick). UT - D. Stallworth 59 pass from Clausen (Walls kick).
3rd - UT - Washington 48 pass from Clausen (Walls kick). UT - Ritzmann fumble recovery of interception return in end zone (Walls kick). UK - Abney 4 pass from Lorenzen (Hanson kick).
4th - UT - D. Stallworth 23 pass from Clausen (Walls kick). UT - D. Stallworth 38 pass from Clausen (Walls kick). UK - Kelly 62 pass from Lorenzen (Hanson kick). UT - Walls 44 field goal.
| TEAM STATS | UT | UK | | First Downs | 15 | 24 | | Rushes-Yards | 23-82 | 31-137 | | Passing Yards | 285 | 406 | | Passes (A-C-I) | 30-20-0 | 53-34-1 | | Total Offensive Plays | 53 | 84 | | Total Offense | 367 | 543 | | Fumbles-Lost | 1-0
| 1-1 | | Penalties-Yards | 5-45 | 10-69 | Punts-Average
| 6-46.8 | 5-42.4 | Time of Possession
| 22:59 | 37:01 | Third-Down Conversions
| 2 of 11 | 9 of 17 | RUSHING
UT - Stephens 18-79-0, Clausen 4-5-0, Fleming 1- (-2)-0
UK - Pinner 14-52-0, Lorenzen 13-52-1, Johnson 3-22-0, Scott 1-11-0 PASSING
UT - Clausen 30-20-0-285
UK - Lorenzen 53-34-1-406 RECEIVING
UT - D. Stallworth 8-169-3, Stephens 4-10-0, Washington 2-53-1, Tinsley 2-10-0, Bartholomew 1-19-0, Graham 1-10-0, Parker 1-8-0, Mo. Jones 1-6-0
UK - Abney 10 118 1, Allen 5 43 0, Pinner 5 34 0, Kelly 3 88 1, Simms 3 31 0, Cook 2 33 1, Harp 2 19 1, Scott 2 13 0, Smith 1 17 0, Boone 1 10 0
FIELD GOALS
UT - Walls 1-1 |
