SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 31, 2013
Tennessee 45, Austin Peay 0: Justin Worley passed for three touchdowns and Marlin Lane added two rushing scores as the Volunteers found the end zone on all six possessions in the first half and cruised to a season-opening victory over the visiting Governors.
Worley completed 11 of 13 passes for 104 yards and Rajion Neal had 16 carries for 141 yards and a touchdown for Tennessee, which led 42-0 at halftime and rested most of its starters after intermission. The victory was the 800th in school history and the first at Tennessee for new coach Butch Jones.
The Volunteers held Austin Peay to 15 yards rushing in the first half and spoiled the debut of Governors coach Kirby Cannon. Andrew Spivey was 11-of-22 for 94 yards with one interception for Austin Peay, which fell to 2-18 all-time against teams from the FBS.
Neal capped the Volunteers’ opening drive with a career-long 47-yard touchdown run and Lane scampered in from 14 yards out on their next possession. Tennessee rushed for 213 yards in the first half and finished with 447 yards in total offense, while Austin Peay managed 211 total yards, including 79 on the ground.
Devrin Young, Brendan Downs and Pig Howard each had a touchdown reception for Tennessee, which played a penalty-free game and won its fifth consecutive season opener. Austin Peay, picked to finish last in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, was held to 11 first downs and suffered its 17th consecutive road loss.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Neal’s 141 first-half yards are the sixth most in school history. … The attendance of 97,169 at Neyland Stadium marked the largest crowd Austin Peay has played in front of in program history. … Tennessee, which recorded its first shutout since Nov. 5, 2011 against Middle Tennessee State, has scored at least 35 points in each of its last eight home openers.