Game ball? McNeil doesn't hesitate taking it

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Josh McNeil didn't receive the game ball for Tennessee's 33-21 win over Mississippi State.

He took it.

As Tennessee was milking the clock in the final seconds of Saturday's game, quarterback Erik Ainge turned to McNeil and asked if he'd like the ball.

For the sophomore center who grew up a Mississippi State fan, it was an easy decision.

"I'd like to have it," McNeil said he told Ainge just before the final snap. "It's a pretty big win for me."

Still, there was one more hurdle to clear before claiming the prize. McNeil asked an official if he could abscond with the football.

"He said there was nothing wrong with it so I figured why not?" McNeil said.

The prize was well earned. McNeil expected the game to be physical - if not dirty. And the Bulldogs lived up to expectations.

"I've known that since back when my brother played," said McNeil, whose brother, Chris, was a center for the Bulldogs center from 2001-04.

Dirty or not, McNeil said the Vols matched Mississippi State's play.

"We're not the nicest guys on earth, including myself," he said. "We're still standing and they're not, so we got the best of them."

Injury Report: Sophomore receiver Austin Rogers took a vicious hit as he tried to reel in a pass near the 5-yard line in the first half.

"He got me pretty good," Rogers said. "Knocked the breath out of me. Then, when I regained by breath I realized I had a hole in my lip so they went and stitched me up."

Rogers' bottom lip required two stitches.

He couldn't stand immediately after the hit, crawling on the ground as teammates came to his aid. Officials flagged the play for unnecessary roughness on safety De'Mon Glanston.

"I thought it might have been helmet-to-helmet," said Rogers, who returned to the game.

Rogers, who claimed he didn't suffer a concussion, said the play typified the entire game.

"It was clawing and scratching the whole game, hitting here, hitting a little bit late here," Rogers said. "It was a tough game."

Sophomore tailback LaMarcus Coker suffered a head injury in the second half and did not return.

Junior linebacker Adam Myers-White did not dress because of stitches in his heel.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer lauded his players' toughness after the game.

"We've got some tough guys," Fulmer said.

Guard Chris Scott had a 103-degree temperature early Saturday, requiring two pre-game IV's and another at halftime.

Junior offensive guard Anthony Parker also played most of the game despite a bruised right knee that sidelined him this week in practice.

State's Stars: MSU's top two defenders - defensive end Titus Brown and safety Derek Pegues - registered six and 10 tackles, respectively.

Junior offensive tackle Ramon Foster drew the assignment of blocking Brown, who had 1.5 tackles for a loss, for most of the game.

"I think I did pretty good against him," Foster said. "He's a good athlete and he comes off the ball fast."

UT offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said State had the best defensive front the Vols have played thisseason.

"I thought they at times won the battle at the line of scrimmage," Cutcliffe said.

Cutcliffe said he was pleased with UT's offensive adjustments and tenacity but disappointed that the Vols had to settle for five field goal attempts.

"Usually when you're on the road in the SEC, it's tough to win (with just field goals)," Cutcliffe said. "That's a tribute to our defense."

Fast Start: The Vols have scored touchdowns on opening drives in all but two games this season - losses to California and Florida.

The Vols took a 7-0 early lead on State with a nine-play, 78-yard opening drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass from Ainge to senior tight end Chris Brown.

For the first time all season, UT scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half. The Vols drove 67 yards on nine plays. Foster's 1-yard scoring run completed the drive.

Going Long: Junior receiver Lucas Taylor has been a part of UT's two longest plays of the season, catching a 51-yard touchdown pass against Mississippi State and throwing a 56-yard touchdown pass to Coker against Georgia on a trick play.

Fourth-Down Fulmer: UT stopped the Bulldogs on all three of their fourth-down attempts.

"That was huge," Fulmer said.

The Vols didn't attempt a fourth down. UT is 3-of-6 on the season.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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