Tennessee struggles, but holds off NIU
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Nick Stephens threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Denarius Moore, and Tennessee's new starting quarterback helped the Volunteers slip past Northern Illinois 13-9 on Saturday night.
Stephens' TD pass came on the first play of a third quarter drive and put Tennessee (2-3) up 13-3. It was the Vols' longest play of the season.
Coach Phillip Fulmer named Stephens the starter Friday in hopes of sparking a mistake-prone offense which had been anemic behind Jonathan Crompton.
Tennessee still struggled, converting three of 13 third downs and picking up only 9 first downs.
With the Vols off to a poor start, Neyland Stadium was again less than full. The crowd was announced at 99,539, about 2,500 short of a sellout. It's unlikely an ugly win against a middle-of-the-pack team from the Mid-Amercian Conference will do anything to appease Vols fans who have been displeased with Fulmer.
Stephens completed 11 of 18 for 156 yards - not much different from Crompton's average stats - and the redshirt sophomore fumbled the ball at the Vols' 23 after taking a hard hit.
Mike Krause recovered for the Huskies at the 9, giving Northern Illinois its best shot at the end zone of the night.
Back-to-back penalties for delay of game and sideline interference backed up the Huskies 10 yards, and Mike Salerno kicked a 25-yard field goal to pull NIU within 4 with 1:31 in the third quarter.
Tennessee had its own clear shot at the end zone after receiving the ball on the NIU 49 in the fourth quarter. Six straight runs by Arian Foster put the Vols on the 9.
Stephens took a sack that cost him 10 yards, and a 32-yard field goal attempt by Daniel Lincoln sailed wide left.
Arian Foster rushed for 75 yards for Tennessee, and Moore's TD catch helped him lead the team in receiving with 65 yards on three catches.
NIU struck first after John Tranchitella recovered a fumble by Josh Briscoe at midfield.
A roughing-the-passer penalty on Demonte Bolden put the Huskies on the Vols' 10, and Salerno kicked a 25-yard field goal four plays later to put NIU up 3-0 with 2:53 in the first.
Eric Berry picked off Dan Nicholson on third-and-14 and returned it 48 yards to the NIU 16. The Vols lost 3 yards on the drive, and Lincoln kicked a 36-yard field goal that hit the left upright on its way through to tie it at 3-3.
Nicholson, who missed the first two games of the season to recover from off-season shoulder surgery, left the game with a shoulder injury after completing 10 of 15 for 83 yards. DeMarcus Grady took over and went 4-for-10 for 39 yards and was the top rusher with 47 yards.
Lincoln also kicked a 34-yard field goal for Tennessee, and Salerno had a 24-yarder.
The Vols kept themselves from gaining ground in the first half, committing six penalties for a loss of 45 yards. Several of Stephens' passes were dropped by receivers.
It was the Huskies who struggled with penalties in the second half, committing 7 for 90 yards.