Tennessee’s run game keeps finishing strong

No. 13 Tennessee again turned a close game into a comfortable win through its second-half rushing attack, running for 134 yards and two touchdowns after halftime in Saturday’s 34-6 victory over No. 6 Kentucky at Neyland Stadium.

The Vols led 13-6 before scoring three touchdowns in just over 12 minutes. Faizon Brandon’s forward pitch to Mike Matthews on a reverse produced a 24-yard touchdown, then DeSean Bishop added two 5-yard scoring runs in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee finished with 240 yards and three touchdowns on 37 rushing attempts. Bishop carried 25 times for 109 yards and crossed 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season, while sophomore Daune Morris gained 85 yards on five attempts, including a 66-yard touchdown run in the first half.

Josh Heupel said Tennessee’s running backs missed keys and cuts before halftime. The second-half improvement came from showing patience, trusting the blocking reads and hitting the holes faster, according to Morris.

The Kentucky performance followed a pattern from wins over Alabama and Auburn. Tennessee rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns after halftime in a 26-10 win over Alabama, then produced 150 rushing yards and three scores in the second half of a 24-17 victory over Auburn.

Against Alabama, Bishop finished two fourth-quarter drives with 5-yard touchdown runs. Those possessions covered 132 yards over 24 plays and consumed more than 14 minutes. Against Auburn, he scored on runs of 25 and 44 yards in the third quarter after Tennessee had managed 87 yards on 27 first-half attempts.

Heupel attributed the late production to adjustments, added wrinkles and Tennessee’s physical approach wearing on opponents. The Vols have outscored opponents 163-73 in second halves this season, including 122-32 at home, and moved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in SEC play.

Why it matters

Tennessee owns the SEC’s No. 1 rushing offense after gaining 240 yards against Kentucky. Its ability to control games after halftime has helped the Vols reach 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play.

What to watch next

Tennessee visits Texas A&M on Saturday for a game scheduled to start at 3 or 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.