University of Tennessee Athletics
#FridayFlashback: Shuler Delivers At UGA
September 26, 2014 | Football
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
Everything was different for Tennessee as the Volunteers headed to Athens, Georgia on Sept. 12, 1992.
UT went on the road as a heavy underdog for its second game of the season, despite a 1-0 record and No. 20 national ranking to face the 14th-ranked Bulldogs. Gone was the steady Andy Kelly at quarterback for Tennessee, sophomore Heath Shuler made his first-career road start in his first season at the helm.
Perhaps the biggest difference was on the sideline, where offensive coordinator Phillip Fulmer stood as interim head coach with Johnny Majors still on the mend from heart surgery.
The game also dawned a new day for the rivalry, as the SEC's expansion and subsequent split into divisions turned a rarely-contested series into a annual one. The winner would have a leg up on the field for the right to represent to Eastern Division in the inaugural SEC Championship Game.
Tennessee even emerged from the Sanford Stadium tunnel in a different look, with white pants paired with the road white jerseys for the first time since 1982 at Vanderbilt. Whether it was the new look or the environment, the Volunteers came out fired up.
Georgia's Hason Graham fumbled on the opening kickoff, giving Tennessee excellent field position following Scott Gaylon's recovery. Four straight Aaron Hayden carries got the Vols to the UGA 4, but Shuler tripped on a roll-out on 3rd-and-goal, limiting UT to a field goal.
The teams traded field goals before Garrison Hearst powered in from four yards out for a touchdown that put the Bulldogs up 10-6. Tennessee responded with a James Stewart TD run late in the second half that appeared to put Tennessee in control just before the half. But UGA made due with the time they had and took a 17-13 lead to the half thanks to a 40-yard strike from Eric Zeier to Andre Hastings.
Mario Brunson's 2-yard run was the only score for either side in the third quarter and Shuler ran for a TD early in the fourth to cap a drive that also saw him pick up 40 yards to convert a third down. The run gave Tennessee the lead 27-17 with 12:36 to go.
But then, Hearst took over. The All-American ran for touchdowns of 64 and 17 yards on back-to-back drives to give the Bulldogs a 31-27 lead with six minutes to play.
Shuler brought his Vols out with 80 yards ahead of them and a hostile crowd of 85,434 against them. The sophomore was undeterred. Shuler marched the Vols downfield, including a clutch 25-yard gain on 4th-and-14 with just over two minutes remaining. A completion to J.J. McClesky got Tennessee inside the 5-yard line and Shuler did the rest. A 3-yard run, Shuler's second of the day, capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ate 5:10 off the clock.
Zeier tried to rally his team after regaining the ball with :50 left, but a fumble leading to the sixth Bulldog turnover of the day sealed a 34-31 win.
The win was UT's first between the hedges since 1972 and set up the Volunteers well for the SEC Eastern Division title chase, setting up a meeting the following week at home with the only other undefeated team in the SEC east, Florida.
Shuler finished the day 12-22 in the air for 152 yards and carried the ball 19 times for 81 yards and two scores. The turnovers were a key difference in the game, as Georgia outgained Tennessee 569-382 and picked up five more first downs.
