Fifteen fun facts for Vols season opener against Bowling Green
Tennessee opens the football season with the Bowling Green Falcons Saturday in Nashville. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Here are 15 tidbits leading into the game.
Photo by Ben Ozburn, Tennessee Journalist Flickr
Tennessee opens the football season with the Bowling Green Falcons Saturday in Nashville. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Here are 15 tidbits leading into the game:
- Tennessee comes into the game at No. 25 in the AP poll. This marks the first time since 2008 the Vols have been ranked in the preseason.
- Bowling Green has won the MAC’s eastern division two years in a row and is picked to do so again in 2015.
- The Falcons scored a win over a Power Five team last year when they defeated Indiana, 45-42, in week three.
- The Vols played a school-record 21 true freshmen in last year’s opener vs. Utah State. Head coach Butch Jones said Monday that UT could play up to 22 vs. Bowling Green.
- The Falcons had 55 scoring drives in under three minutes in 2014.
- UT has never lost to a current MAC school. Jones is 23-4 all-time against MAC schools.
- Tennessee hasn’t opened the season in Nashville since obliterating Wyoming 47-7 in the capital in 2002.
- Bowling Green’s offense averaged nearly 433 yards per game last season. They return all 11 starters from that unit.
- Several key contributors on Tennessee’s roster hail from the Nashville area, including running back Jalen Hurd and defensive end Derek Barnett.
- The Falcons are 4-7 all-time vs. the SEC. They have never played Tennessee.
- Tennessee is currently favored by 21 points (Via 5Dimes).
- Bowling Green running back Travis Greene is on the Doak Walker Award watch list this season after rushing for 949 yards and 12 touchdowns a year ago.
- Green’s offensive line is one of the most experienced in college football with 125 combined starts, good for No. 2 in the country behind UCLA.
- The Vols have not lost to a team from the state of Ohio since falling to Cincinnati, 35-0, in 1904.
- Siri is still pulling for the Vols. When asked who her favorite college football team is, she replies, “I always like to root for the underdog. I guess that makes me a fan of Tennessee right now.”
Photo by Ben Ozburn
Edited by Jordan Dajani
Sports Editor, Cody McClure, has been with TNJN since January 2014. He is passionate about SEC football and basketball. To him, there's nothing better in life than game day in Neyland Stadium. Cody covers the SEC for Athlon Sports. Additionally, he co-hosts Rock Solid Sports for WUTK 90.3 FM on Fridays from 7-8 p.m. ET. Cody is also interning at Sports Radio WNML working under Jimmy Hyams. In his spare time, he plays golf, travels the country, and plays guitar, badly. Follow him on Twitter @CodyMcClureCFB.
Dalton,
Great Article, keep up the good work. I hope you enjoy your UT experience.