Nov 30, 2002
Box Score?|?Quotes?|?Photo Gallery
By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS
AP Sports Writer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Derrick Tinsley caught two touchdown passes fromCasey Clausen as Tennessee beat Kentucky 24-0 Saturday to finish the season.
The Wildcats (7-5, 3-5 SEC) have lost 18 straight games to the Volunteers(8-4, 5-3), including last year’s 38-35 loss after Tennessee had rallied from a21-point deficit.
With a more balanced offense and speedy kick returner Derek Abney, Kentuckyappeared to have a good chance to end the losing streak. But the Vols weren’tabout to let that happen, jumping to a 21-0 lead at halftime.
Clausen threw an 18-yard pass to Tinsley in the end zone in the firstquarter. Tinsley scored again on a 35-yard pass play in the second quarter whenhe caught the ball near the sideline, stopped himself from stepping out ofbounds and tiptoed 10 yards into the end zone.
Jabari Davis jumped over the pile for a 1-yard touchdown in the firstquarter after the Wildcats were penalized four times for being offside.
Alex Walls added a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter after missing a44-yarder earlier.
Clausen, playing on a healing sprained right ankle and foot, completed 13 of26 passes for 175 yards and no interceptions. Tinsley had four catches for 72yards, a career high.
Tennessee finished the season with three straight wins since losing to Miamion Nov. 9, and in spite of having 18 starters – including Clausen – miss gamesdue to injury.
The Vols have never won fewer than eight games in each of the 10 seasonsunder coach Phillip Fulmer.
Kentucky, which can’t go to a bowl because of NCAA sanctions, began with adisadvantage as four starters were suspended the first quarter for unspecifieddisciplinary reasons. Tailback Artose Pinner, the SEC’s leading rusher, joinedtight end Chase Harp, cornerback Leonard Burress and defensive tackle DewayneRobertson on the sidelines.
Kentucky’s offense opened with a promising 16-play drive that lasted thefirst 7:47 of the game, but the Wildcats couldn’t score. Taylor Begley missed a32-yard field goal.
Alexis Bwenge started in place of Pinner and ran for 34 yards in the firsthalf and eight times in the opening drive.
Pinner replaced him in the second quarter and finished with 11 carries for51 yards. He came in averaging 123.7 a game.
Kentucky’s Jared Lorenzen, the league’s most efficient quarterback,struggled and was replaced temporarily by Shane Boyd in the third quarter.Lorenzen threw for 406 yards against Tennessee last season but finished with 59on 9-of-23 passing.
Abney, who set an NCAA record this season with six kickoffs returned fortouchdowns, didn’t have many chances to break the record for scoring on puntreturns. He needed one more to have five this season.
