Dobbs leads Vols to Music City Bowl win with MVP performance
Joshua Dobbs ended his career at Tennessee on a high note, scoring four total touchdowns as the Vols defeated Nebraska in the Music City Bowl, 38-24.
Tennessee quarterback #11 Joshua Dobbs wins the Most Valuable Player award after the 2016 Franklin Mortgage American Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, on Dec. 30, 2016.
After an illustrious career at the helm of Tennessee’s offense, senior Joshua Dobbs had just one way to describe it all after leading Tennessee to a 38-24 win over Nebraska in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.
“It’s been a heck of a ride,” the senior quarterback said postgame.
Dobbs accounted for 409 (291 passing, 118 rushing) of Tennessee’s 521 total yards and four of the Vols’ five touchdowns on the day. The performance led to an MVP selection, the second time in three years (2014 TaxSlayer Bowl) that he was named MVP of Tennessee’s bowl game.
“He’s a great, great competitor,” Tennessee head coach Butch Jones said after the game. “I knew he was going to play one of his best games.”
Dobbs’ success on the day didn’t come without its struggles, however. Neither teams managed any sustained success out of the gate. The Huskers and Vols combined for just 108 yards of offense in the first quarter, 75 of them coming on the ground. 45 of Tennessee’s 51 first-quarter rushing yards came on its opening drive; however, the Vols’ promising move down the field was halted by penalties and a long incompletion on 3rd down.
The two teams traded short possessions until Tennessee’s first drive of the second quarter. The Vols opened the drive with a 31-yard strike from Dobbs to junior Josh Malone to move into Nebraska territory. Two plays later, sophomore running back John Kelly skirted around left edge and tiptoed down the sideline for a 28-yard rushing score to open the scoring.
After another Nebraska three-and-out, Tennessee used an 11 play, 66-yard drive to go up 14-0. Dobbs, Kelly, Alvin Kamara and receiver Tyler Byrd all got at least one rush on the drive, which resulted in a 10 yard scramble by Dobbs for the score. That scramble came just two plays after he converted a 3rd and 9 with another long scramble.
“When it wasn’t there, when it wasn’t right on time, he moved around, bought time where he moved around and ran,” Nebraska head coach Mike Riley said following the loss. “Those plays were hard on us.”
Tennessee dominated much of the first half, but couldn’t find more than two scores. Nebraska took advantage with a 3 play, 80-yard touchdown drive that began with 2:48 to go in the half. With starting quarterback Tommy Armstrong out again, Ryker Fyfe found Cethan Carter for a 33-yard gain to move Nebraska into Tennessee territory for the first time in the game.
Two plays later, Fyfe found reliable wideout Brandon Reilly in the end zone on a 38-yard bomb to cut the Vols’ lead to 14-7 with 1:36 to go in the half.
Tennessee, led by Dobbs, marched right back down the field.
Dobbs completed passes to Malone, Kamara and Jennings, and ran twice while accounting for 71 of the Vols’ 75 yards on a touchdown drive that ended with five seconds to go in the first half. Dobbs’ 2-yard scramble capped the drive, giving him his second rushing touchdown of the game.
Tennessee outgained Nebraska 308-119 in the first half to lead 21-7 at the break. The Vols’ defense, which had given up 400 rushing yards on three separate occasions this season, kept the Huskers bottled up.
More of the same continued early in the second half when the Vols put together a 49-yard scoring drive that ended in a 46-yard field goal from Aaron Medley, putting the Vols up 24-7.
The Huskers, though, wouldn’t quit.
Fyfer orchestrated Nebraska’s second touchdown drive of the game in short time. After a pass moved the Huskers near midfield and a long run left Nebraska with a scoring opportunity inside the 10 yard line, Fyfe found Reilly again for a 9-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 24-14 with 3:18 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
After the teams traded a touchdown each early in the fourth quarter, the Huskers caught their first break when Tyler Byrd fumbled a kick off at Tennessee’s own 34 yard line. Five plays later, Fyfe kept around right end and bounced into the end zone untouched for a 9-yard touchdown to bring Nebraska within a touchdown, 31-24.
But Dobbs answered the Huskers one last time on the ensuing drive, finding Josh Malone behind the secondary for a 59-yard touchdown pass to put Tennessee up 38-24 with 8:38 left.
The Vol’s defense held Nebraska scorelesss for the remainder of the game. Defensive end Derek Barnett capped the defense’s afternoon with a sack of Fyfe on 3rd and 26 with nearly four minutes to go.
Barnett garnered his career-record 33rd sack with that tackle after coming into the game tied with the late Reggie White for the most career sacks in Tennessee history.
The win gave Tennessee three consecutive bowl victories for the first time since 1994-1996.
Edited by David Bradford
Featured photo by Ben Proffitt
Nathan is a junior at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He spends most of his free time eating meaningless foods and watching sports. If you wish to contact Nathan, you can email him at wodom3@vols.utk.edu or find him on Twitter, @NathanOdom11.
