It’s rare enough for FCS teams to get wins against their FBS counterparts. But one team that’s currently ranked in the top 10 and seen as a potential national title contender is getting all it can handle from their FCS foe today.
For the first 29 minutes and 40 seconds of today’s game against Austin Peay, 9th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers could only muster six points off two field goals. They went three-and-out on their first drive, were stopped for a field goal on the second, suffered a turnover on downs on the third and were once again stopped short for a field goal on the fourth.
The Volunteers were finally able to get the ball across the endzone with just 20 seconds remaining in the first half after an 11-play, 82-yard drive that was capped off by a Joe Milton touchdown run.
The Vols went into the half with a 13-6 lead. While they may not be on upset alert a la Michigan vs. Appalachian State, a slow start like that isn’t earning them any respect.
Hmm pic.twitter.com/zUdHHFiSxQ
β Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 9, 2023
Meanwhile, the Austin Peay Governors were practically doing backflips on social media after holding Tennessee out of the endzone in the first quarter.
Prior to today, Tennessee had only been held without a TD in the first quarter twice in the past three seasons. The three teams to keep the Vols out of the end zone in the first 15 minutes:
π΄ ππ¨π¦π§ππ‘ π£πππ¬
π΄ Florida (2022)
π΄ Georgia (2022)#ChaseTheLion | #LetsGoPeay pic.twitter.com/4fs9REtA6qβ Austin Peay Football (@GovsFB) September 9, 2023
Whether Tennessee manages to pull away and win this game or not, the top 25 voters are likely going to punish them for looking so sluggish against an FCS team.
But if the Governors find a way to win this game in the second half, nobody in college football will let them live it down.