Posted: Nov 04, 2016
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – 65 years in the making.
It's been a long time since Tennessee Tech last faced the University of Tennessee in football and a lot of things have changed since they last met.
There was no Football Bowl Subdivision or Football Championship Subdivision back in 1951. The Neyland in Neyland Stadium was still coaching the Volunteers then as General Robert Neyland was still roaming the sidelines at Shields-Watkins Field.
The stadium then held 46,390 people. Now it's 102,455.
Heck, Tech changed its own name, evolving from Tennessee Polytechnic Institute to Tennessee Tech University in the '60s.
The last time Tech faced the Volunteers, Tennessee was in the midst of putting together a national championship season – and Tech's result against the Vols showed, beating the Golden Eagles 68-0.
Not that Tech fared much better in the previous four meetings from 1947 to 1950. In the five games combined, Tennessee outscored Tech 242-20 and the 68 points scored was the most the Vols scored in the post-1937 modern era until beating Louisiana-Monroe 70-3 in 2000.
Flavious Smith put up the most points against Tennessee in the 1950 meeting as he caught two touchdown passes.
But it all comes down to 65 years later.
The Golden Eagles look to take advantage of a Volunteer team that has faced a set of distractions this week with the departure of key player Jalen Hurd and coming off of a tough loss last week to South Carolina.
Joshua Dobbs leads the Vols (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) with 1,686 passing yards and also now stands as the team's leading rusher with 320 yards. Josh Malone is the team's leading receiver with 444 yards, while Todd Kelly Jr. leads the Vols with 55 tackles.
One player Tech will have to watch out for is defensive end Derek Barnett, who is the FBS active leader in sacks with 29. He needs four to pass Vol legend Reggie White as the program's all-time leader.
Tech quarterback Michael Birdsong has been sacked 31 times this season, though the average has dropped in recent weeks with three against Southeast Missouri and four against Eastern Illinois.
Birdsong, however, has still been able to produce, throwing for 1,967 yards, including 502 yards to Dontez Byrd. Yeedee Thaenrat leads the rushing attack with 392 yards and Josh Poplar remains the defensive leader with 84 tackles on the year.
Kickoff at Neyland Stadium is at 3 p.m. Central, 4 p.m. Eastern.
The game can be heard on the Golden Eagle Sports Network and 98.5 KISS FM with Roger Ealey providing play-by-play and Dylan Vazzano providing color. The game will also be televised on SEC Network Alternate with Taylor Zarzour on play-by-play duties, Jordan Rodgers on color and Dawn Davenport on the sideline.
