2025 Week 17

Tampa Bay, FL (AP)- Sunny Tampa Bay saw a great match up for a bowl game. #11 Tennessee battling #21 Indiana. What was on the line for Tennessee? A top 10 ranking and a 9 win year. For Indiana? A nine win season and a top 15 ranking.

Tennessee started out the game with Patrick Herman at QB. He got the Vols down the field for very little yards and managed to punt the ball away. Indiana got the ball back and went for it on fourth down inside the Tennessee 30 and promptly got stopped. At the last minute of the first quarter Tennessee put in Chris Davis and he hit a 59 yard bomb to Jamar McNeal to set up a McIntosh Touchdown. Vols 7, IU 0

Indiana got the ball back and marched quickly with the air raid and got a touchdown with just mere seconds left in the first quarter. The Vols were marching down the field in the second quarter and at the IU 10 yard line, Chris Davis threw a pick which was raced back for 90 yards. IU lead 14-7. The Vols couldn't do anything on offense again and got stopped. Indiana got inside our 20 yard line and instead of going for a field goal they went for their third 4th down conversion try. The Hoosiers were quickly stopped and were shy for one yard. The Vols got the ball back and marched down the field with Marlon Bradford in at QB. Vols tied it up 14-14 at halftime.

To start the third quarter off, Patrick Herman came back in and hit Jamar McNeal on a 68 yard touchdown strike to take the lead 21-14. Then Indiana struck, fast and strong. They marched on 10 plays and 73 yards and put up a touchdown to tie it up 21-21. Tennessee got in a 2005 Offensive funk and had to punt it away, but Indiana's punt returner took it all the way to the house to give the Hoosiers a 28-21 lead. Coach Batten was seen on the sideline throwing his hat.

To start off the fourth quarter, Tennessee found a rhythm on offense. Senior FB Austin punched it in for a Tennessee touchdown. Patrick Herman sliced up the Hoosier D by running the option, a Batten specialty. Tennessee had tied it back up 28-28 when the Hoosiers struck gold on a 15 yard touchdown strike on 3rd and goal. Hoosiers took the lead with 3:32 left, 35-28.

Working quickly backwards, the Vols got called for a clipping penalty to set them up at the Tennessee 10 yard line. Ninety yards away with under three minutes left. But the Vols were resilient going on an all out rush attack. They marched 90 yards on six plays with a 10 yard option run by Patrick Herman to tie the game up 35-35 with 2:25 left.

Indiana decided to become a Republican and sat on the ball. This was a stupid thing to do, Tennessee managed to get a stop and got the ball back on a solid McIntosh punt return of about eight yards. With 1:20 left in the game, the Vols ate clock and managed to get a key first down. Coach Batten was not going to risk an interception, so he went into conservative mode as well. He got Patrick Herman to move the ball 10 yards on another key triple option run. So with 0:02 seconds left Tennessee called a timeout and sent out the kicker.

[center][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/MrTennessee/S4300219.jpg[/IMG]
[size=1]Groza award winner nails the 45 yarder to win the game![/size]

"I was discussing with Robert on that last drive about what decision to make. He wanted to run, and I wanted to pass. Not sure why he didn't go for the homerun ball, but we won so nobody will truly complain." said Coach Minton

"I think the seniors know how hard we've worked this year to get to this point. In a way its like winning the national championship for this team. Six years ago when I arrived to take over from Randy Sanders, they had just had their sixth 0-11 season, now we are 9-3. It's a pretty tough battle, and the SEC was one of the toughest conferences to be in, so I am proud of this team and what the seniors accomplished." said Coach Batten.

"Yeah, this is why I am the AD of Tennessee. We're starting to win alot now. The team stays out of trouble and we can have a ton of fun while playing again. Life is great." said Athletic Director Mathias Platchek.