Tennessee’s decision to go for two early in Saturday night’s win over Kennesaw State wasn’t some hidden jab or sideline drama. It was just the kind of call the Vols had the look for - and they cashed it in.
The sequence came late in the first quarter after Faizon Brandon hit Braylon Staley on a 13-yard touchdown pass, stretching Tennessee’s lead to 13-3 with the extra point still pending. Instead of sending out the kicking unit, the Vols shifted into a swinging gate formation, with the line set to the left. Long snapper Bennett Brady delivered an underhand toss to tight end Luca Wolf, who followed the blocking and powered in the two-point try.
That immediately sparked speculation about why Tennessee chose to do it then. Some wondered whether it had anything to do with Josh Heupel’s history with Kennesaw State head coach Jerry Mack, his former assistant. Others pointed to a late hit on Staley earlier in the drive.
Heupel shut that down after the game. Asked about the decision, he said it comes down to the defense’s alignment.
That explanation fits Tennessee’s season approach, too. The Vols have lined up in similar looks before this year and, when the defense hasn’t shown the right numbers, they’ve simply backed out and kicked the extra point instead. This time, Kennesaw State didn’t match up the way Tennessee wanted, so the Vols took the easy points.
Heupel also made clear there’s no bad blood with Mack. He praised him before the game and again afterward.
“Good to see him,” Heupel said. “He has got a good football team.
They have done a good job there last year. When they get into conference play, they are going to have a chance.”
Now Tennessee turns to conference play of its own. The Vols will host No. 1 Texas on Saturday at noon ET, with the game set for ABC.
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