Tennessee beats Georgia Tech in double OT behind Quinten Dormady, John Kelly
ATLANTA — No. 24 Tennessee rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and beat Georgia Tech 42-41 in double overtime on Monday night in front of 75,107 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
"We found a way to win when we didn't play our best," Vols coach Butch Jones said.
Georgia Tech failed to convert a two-point conversion after scoring its second overtime TD. UT defensive end Darrell Taylor bottled up Georgia Tech quarterback TaQuon Marshall as he was running off right tackle. Marshall improvised with a frantic pass hit that hit the turf.
More:Why Vols have a trash can at the Georgia Tech game
"I knew he was going to keep it, honestly," Taylor said.
Here are five things we learned from the Vols' season opener:
Quinten Dormady is the starting QB
Dormady took every snap, with backup Jarrett Guarantano rooted on the sideline.
"We needed consistency," Jones said of not rotating QBs, "and we needed continuity. ... Jarrett will get his opportunity, but each game is different."
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Dormady's best throw was a 10-yard third-quarter touchdown to Marquez Callaway, who jumped to make the catch over Lamont Simmons on a fade route. Callaway had four receptions for 115 yards and two TDs.
Dormady completed 20 of 37 passes for 221 yards and two TDs. He wasn't helped by six drops.
Adams:QB Quinten Dormady is a winner for Tennessee Vols in season opener
Vols win special teams battle
Tennessee's Paul Bain blocked Shawn Davis' 37-yard field goal attempt on the final play of regulation with the score tied at 28.
Bain said he got two fingers on Davis' kick.
"We never had doubt," Bain said. "We’re just cut from a different cloth from a lot of teams. We were made for this. We were made for pressure situations. We’re made for the grind.”
Davis also badly missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt in the third quarter.
UT benefited from a 70-yard punt by Trevor Daniel.
More:Walk-on Paul Bain, who blocked field goal for Vols, works at Champs, horse farm
Feature back suits John Kelly
Kelly accounted for all but three of UT's rushing attempts. He gained 128 yards on 19 carries and scored four TDs, including two in overtime.
"John Kelly sparked us, as well, and he played with passion, played with energy," Jones said.
Vols struggle vs. triple-option offense
During one stretch in the second and third quarters, Georgia Tech ran the ball on 34 consecutive plays. That span included two scoring drives. The streak finally ended when Emmanuel Moseley broke up a pass on third-and-7. The Yellow Jackets rushed for 535 yards, including 249 and five TDs by Marshall.
"You saw how many times they ran," said linebacker Daniel Bituli, who had a game-high 23 tackles. "That was ridiculous."
As for Georgia Tech's triple-option attack?
"I hate that offense," Bituli said.
Injuries pile up
Wide receiver Josh Smith (shoulder sprain) and linebacker Austin Smith (undisclosed Friday injury) didn't dress. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings (wrist) didn't play after halftime following a first-half wrist injury, and defensive tackle Kendal Vickers exited with a fourth-quarter injury and didn't return.
More:WR Jauan Jennings sidelined for second half with undisclosed injury
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