The Volunteers (2-0) stormed back, with consecutive touchdown toss from Joshua Dobbs, who finished with three for the night.
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Virginia Tech will call the Goodyear building home today, while the University of Tennessee will use the speedway’s driver’s meeting room next to the media center under Victory Lane. Obviously it’s being hyped up as the biggest college football game in history, but. we’ve just got to take it just like any other game.
Tennessee is an 11½-point favorite for the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, but the Vols had to erase a 10-point halftime deficit to edge Appalachian State 20-13 in overtime last week.
Tech’s next drive stalled before it really got started, when Evans had a 9-yard completion to McMillian on third-and-8 from Tech’s 15 negated by a 15-yard personal foul on backup left guard Wyatt Teller.
Eight Straight: The Vols won their eighth-consecutive game on Saturday night, the longest winning streak since Tennessee won 14 in a row in the 1998 and 1999 seasons.
Bristol Motor Speedway is stocked with 16,000 pounds of hamburger, more than 25,000 pounds of hot dogs and 5,000 turkey legs.
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee erased an early 14-point deficit at Bristol Motor Speedway nearly as fast as drivers typically race around the half-mile track that circled the makeshift football field.
150,000 fans are expected to show up for this, which would smash the record for attendance at a college game standing at 115,109 (Michigan versus Notre Dame, 2013) according to NCAA.com.
Things started fast but turned quickly for Virginia Tech at the Battle at Bristol, where they trail No. 17 Tennessee 24-14 after the first half.
Against Tennessee (2-0), Tech found the end zone on back-to-back drives in the first quarter to give it a 14-0 edge before Tennessee stiffened on defense.
“We woke up a little bit and played Tennessee-style football tonight”, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.
“We should be putting out more points as an offense because we’re experienced so it’s frustrating”, Gardner said. “Those were the things that occurred with both young players, but we can correct”.
Tennessee’s Micah Abernathy set a school single-game record with three fumble recoveries. The Hokies, meanwhile, played their first game without Frank Beamer as coach since 1986, beginning the Justin Fuente era with a 36-13 victory over FCS member Liberty. “We’re inadequate, to say the least, right now”.
Jalen Hurd has 66 rushing yards for Tennessee, and Dobbs has 48. Virginia Tech’s Travon McMillian rushed 14 times for 127 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown. “At the end of the day, every time you step on the field you play to win; and that’s our expectation”.
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One play later Josh Dobbs completed a 5-yard pass to Jauan Jennings for a touchdown. “I think we feel good about what we did on the field and I don’t care about somebody talking about we dropped in the polls”.
