Tennessee's Justin Coleman (27) forces Kentucky quarterback Reese Phillips to fumble, turning the ball over for a Big Orange touchdown during their game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014.KNOXVILLE - A tough football weekend for fans of Signal Mountain Middle/High School hit rock bottom with 5:07 to play in Saturday afternoon's first quarter between Tennessee and visiting Kentucky.
Having already endured a loss in the state playoffs to Loudon on Friday night, whatever Signal fans were in Neyland Stadium's stands to support former quarterback Reese Phillips, now a backup for Kentucky, watched a Phillips pass returned for a touchdown by Volunteers defensive back Brian Randolph.
The pick six left the Wildcats down 14-3. It also further signaled the continued improvement of a UT defense that picked off two UK passes and limited an offense averaging nearly 30 points (29.4) and more than 400 yards a game to 16 total points and 262 total yards in the Vols' 50-16 win, its fifth of the year against five defeats.
Win one more and the Big Orange are bowl-eligible for the first time since 2010.
"The Brian Randolph touchdown to put us up by two scores really got things rolling for us," Vols coach Butch Jones said. "(And) holding them to 3-of-14 (on third-down conversions) -- that's a very good, explosive offense."
It wasn't a very good offense against Tennessee, and Phillips was far from the only reason. The redshirt freshman has played in only three games all season. He's completed 2 of 9 passes and forced the one unfortunate, damaging interception against the Vols.
"It didn't help," coach Mark Stoops said of that interception. "It didn't help."
But Phillips -- who wasn't made available to the media after the game -- was only in the game because starting quarterback Patrick Towles had momentarily been forced to the locker room with an injured ankle.
As soon as the ankle was retaped, Towles was back under center and Phillips' 10 snaps were done.
"I thought they were a very hungry bunch," Stoops said of the Vols. "I thought they were a hungry group. You could see that tonight. They had a lot of energy coming off that bye playing at home. They really played well. Give them credit for taking care of business."
It could be argued that with the exception of the first quarter against Alabama, the Vols defense has taken care of business all season. Offensive turnovers against Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma short-circuited defensive performances capable of keeping UT in striking distance in those defeats. Even the 34-3 loss at Ole Miss didn't get out of hand until late, when the defense tired.
The Vols' 29 sacks -- they had five against UK -- are the most since 2005. After two interceptions against the Wildcats they have 19 of those on the season.
"A very good team victory," Jones said.
Too bad it completed a very bad weekend for Signal Mountain football fans.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com