University of Tennessee Athletics
Top-Ranked Miami Defeats Tennessee 26-3
November 09, 2002 | Football
Nov. 9, 2002
KNOXVILLE - Miami's offensive 1-2 punch of Willis McGahee and Ken Dorsey led the top-ranked Hurricanes to a 26-3 victory over Tennessee before a Neyland Stadium crowd of 107,745.
McGahee rushed for 154 yards on 30 carries, while Dorsey completed 18-of-35 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown as Miami improved to 9-0 and extended the nation's longest winning streak to 31.
Coupled with Oklahoma's loss at Texas A&M, the Hurricanes should retake the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press poll after falling behind the Sooners for the first time this season earlier in the week. Miami was remained No. 1 in this week's ESPN-USA Today Coaches Poll.
Cedric Houston was Vols' lone offensive bright spot, gaining 111 yards on 14 carries.
Miami put the game away for good last in the third quarter when Dorsey hit Kellen Winslow on an 11-yard touchdown pass to give the Hurricanes a 26-3 advantage with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter.
Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen, who passed for 63 yards in the first half, did not play following halftime after reinjuring his ankle in the second quarter. Clausen watched backups James Banks and C.J. lead the team in the second half on crutches from the UT sideline.
The Vols gained only 218 total yards for the game and just 53 in the second stanza. Tonight's game is the time in 105 games the Vols failed to score a touchdown, dating back to a 31-0 loss to Florida in 1994.
Houston got the Vols rolling on their first possession, going 74 yards on the game's second play. A 21-yard field goal by Alex Walls gave Tennessee a quick 3-0 first quarter lead.
From there, it was all Miami for the rest of the half, scoring 19 unanswered points. Four Todd Sievers field goals and a Willis McGahee one-yard touchdown gave the Hurricanes a commanding 19-3 into the break. Sievers missed a 38-yarder on the final play of the first half.
Tennessee (5-4) returns to SEC action next Saturday traveling to Starkville to take on Mississippi State.
