University of Tennessee Athletics
Four Downs: UF Weekend by the Numbers
October 06, 2014 | Football
UTSports.com
Each week, UTSports.com takes a look at the numbers from the weekend past and the weekend ahead in Four Downs. This week: Defense, more defense and coin flips that continue to defy all odds.
First Down: 10 - Points Allowed by the Tennessee Defense
Saying Saturday's game was a defensive struggle outs it lightly. The stat sheet heavily favored the defense on both sides, with Tennessee's effort turning heads in several categories.
The 10 points allowed by the Tennessee defense were the fewest in an SEC game since 2011 at Kentucky. It marked the lowest point today by an SEC opponent other than Kentucky or Vanderbilt since holding Mississippi State to 3 in 2008.
10 points was the fewest given up to Florida since a 24-10 victory in Gainesville in 2003. It was also the fewest points scored by a Florida team in Neyland Stadium since a 45-3 Vol victory in 1990.
Tennessee led Florida, 3-0, at the half, the first time the Vols have held the Gators scoreless in the first half since 1955, when the Vols led 13-0 en route to a 20-0 win in Gainesville. It marked the first time UT held an SEC opponent scoreless in the first half since South Carolina in 2007. Tennessee accomplished that feat twice in 2007, also holding Georgia scoreless in the first half.
The combined three points at the half marked the fewest points in a Tennessee-Florida first half since 1940, when the game was scoreless at the break. Then-Major Robert Neyland's Vols went on to win that game, 14-0.
Second Down: 232 - Florida Offensive Yards
The defensive effort was not limited to keeping the Gators off of the scoreboard. UT was active all over the field, holding Florida to 232 yards of total offense, the fewest for a Tennessee opponent since Austin Peay gained 211 in 2013.
The 232 yards of total offense marked the lowest total by an SEC opponent since UT held Kentucky to 217 yards in 2011.
Florida was held to 76 passing yards, the lowest total by an SEC opponent since Auburn threw for just 35 yards a season ago.
The Gators got the ball inside the 20 just once, scoring on that one red zone opportunity. It was the fewest trips by an opponent into the red zone since South Carolina made just one incursion last year, also scoring a touchdown on its lone trip.
Third Down: Quick Hits
102,455 - The sellout crowd for Tennessee-Florida, the second sellout at Neyland Stadium this season. Combined with road sellouts at Oklahoma and Georgia, the Vols have played in front of capacity crowds in four out of five games and a total of 482,816 over those five games.
11 - Consecutive pregame coin flips lost. Tennessee continues to take the statistical anomaly to new highs, having dropped the 50-50 proposition in every game dating back to the meeting with Georgia in Neyland Stadium last season. Add in the coin toss prior to overtime against Georgia and it's 12 straight overall.
8 - Punts by Matt Darr. The senior has punted exactly eight times in four of Tennessee's five games this year. He was called upon just six times in the win over Arkansas State.
61 - Yards covered on Darr's career-best punt in the third quarter.
13 - Tackles by A.J. Johnson. It marked the 21st double-digit tackle performance of his career, the third this season after recording 11 against Oklahoma and 17 against Georgia. The senior had nine in each of the first two games.
58 - Kick Return Yards for Devrin Young. He now has with 1,543 kick return yards, which leaves him 245 away from Leonard Scott (1,788) for second and just 311 yards from Willie Gault's all-time record of 1,854.
26 - Consecutive starts made by Justin Coleman.
2 - Tennessee first downs picked up on the ground. They came on back-to-back runs from Marlin Lane for four yards on third down and Jalen Hurd for 11 yards on the next play.
3 - Aaron Medley field goals, a new career high. The freshman was a perfect 3-3, converting from 36, 38 and 39 yards. It tied a career-best for attempts, set in a 2-3 performance against Arkansas State.
252 - Consecutive games with a point scored by UT, dating back to Sept. 17, 1994. It marks the fourth-longest active streak in FBS, the 10th-longest in history
Fourth Down: A Look Ahead
37 - All-time wins against Chattanooga, the next opponent up for Tennessee. The Volunteers have won the last eight games in the series, though the teams have not met since 1969, a 31-0 UT win.
12 - Wins on Oct. 11, versus four losses and one tie. The Vols' last two games on the date resulted in losses to Georgia, 41-14 in 2003 and 26-14 in 2008.
69 - All-time wins on Homecoming, which UT will again celebrate on Saturday when it's once again Football Time in Tennessee!
