No. 25 Tennessee rallied from a pair of 14-point deficits in the second half and stopped a 2-point conversion in the second overtime, stunning Georgia Tech 42-41 despite giving up five rushing touchdowns to TaQuon Marshall and getting thoroughly dominated statistically Monday night.
Bolstering the outlook for embattled coach Butch Jones, the Volunteers pulled off a remarkable season-opening victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a game they seemed to have no business winning.
John Kelly scored the tying touchdown in regulation on an 11-yard run with 1:29 remaining, and then added two more TD runs in overtime. Marshall, in a remarkable performance in his first college start, matched Kelly's scores with a pair of his own, finishing the game with 249 yards rushing and a school record for rushing TDs.
After Marshall got to the end zone on a 13-yard run in the second overtime, Georgia Tech decided to go for the win right there rather than a tying PAT and a potential third overtime. But Marshall was stuffed as he tried to cut inside, and a desperation pitch was ruled an incomplete pass, ending the game.
