Well, that was certainly fun.
For the first time since Phil Fulmer roamed the sidelines in Knoxville, Tennessee finished a season with nine wins. The Vols dominated a game but outmatched Northwestern team, scoring 6 touchdowns, intercepting 4 passes, and running for more than 200 yards against a solid Wildcats defense.
In the opening half, both teams struggled with focus-- the Vols missed a field goal, committed several personal foul penalties on defense, and struggled to move the ball consistently. Northwestern's aggressive run defense stifled Tennessee's rushing attack, with star linebacker Anthony Walker leading the way. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald had his defense ready to bottle up the Vols' inside run game, filling the rush lanes and using a spy on quarterback Josh Dobbs.