Tennesse game day musings: second half + OT

• Kahlil Bell will try to play in the second half but has a left ankle injury. Starters Logan Paulson (fractured right foot) and Marcus Everett (dislocated big toe) are both out for the rest of the game.
• Tennessee once had eight interceptions against Alabama in 1970. The most UCLA has ever given up in one game is five.
• One of the major national websites lists a sack for UCLA, but nobody here remembers it. Before kickoff, I saw some of Tennessee's linemen warming up and they looked huge (especially compared to the Bruins). Last year they only allowed four sacks in a whopping 993 plays.
• Although the Bruin defense continues to hold strong and special teams tacked on a field goal, the offense just got really lucky not to give up another two points. On a play from the 4-yard line, Raymond Carter was tackled in the backfield and officials ruled him down on the one. Carter was right on the goal line and if an official blinked it could have gone the other way. An offsides penalty against Tennessee pushed the Bruins back out, only to loose more yards on a pitch to Carter. Good thing the Bruins are back on defense, because that might give them a chance to score on a turnover.
• Speaking of UCLA's tenacious D, Korey Bosworth just gave the Bruin's their first real sack (good for 8 yards).
• On the bright side for the offense, Rick Neuheisel is showing confidence in Kevin Craft by leaving him in the game and continuing to throw the ball. With less than 10 minutes left in the game and the Bruins trailing 14-10, the young quarterback is starting to find his rhythm and marching UCLA down the field.
• While I was standing by the UCLA end zone with about two minutes to play, Tennessee scored and took a 21-17 lead. A colleague wasn't sure it was worth trudging 100 yards to be there in the event UCLA took the lead back. It was. UCLA scored with 27 seconds left to go up 24-21. We ran back across the field, again, to see the field goal that tied it 24-24, and stayed to watch UCLA pull off the overtime stunner, 27-24. My favorite cliche: that's why they play the game.
• Momentum, as Neuheisel pointed out after the game, is important for a quarterback. Craft's turnaround was stunning. After finishing the first three quarters 13-of-27, he went 6-of-6 and 6-of-8 on UCLA's two drives in the fourth quarter. Despite going 0-for-2 in overtime, he did everything necessary to go from goat to hero. Bruins 27, Tennessee 24. Final.

—Adam Rose

Photo: Gary A. Vasquez / US Presswire

Comments

[pk-mesa]

boy does tennesee really suck maybe the 15 best team in pac-10

[pk-mesa]

i used to like ucla but with the BS that BN puts out I hope thhing
ey never ever win anyt