Tennessee (7-5 | 5-3 SEC) vs. Indiana (8-4 | 5-4 Big Ten)
Gator Bowl | Thursday, January 2nd, 2020 | 6:00pm CT
Jacksonville, FL | TIAA Bank Field | TV: ESPN
Jacksonville, FL – Tennessee Vols football will look to cap the 2019 season with its sixth straight win as the Volunteers take on Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Thursday night at 6:00pm CT.
The Big Orange are playing in their first bowl game since the 2016 Music City Bowl.
A win over the Hoosiers would be their fourth consecutive bowl victory and third straight in the Gator Bowl.
Thursday’s game will be televised by ESPN with Dave O’Brien (PxP), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst) and Katie George (sideline) on the call.
Kickoff is slated for 6:00pm CT at TIAA Bank Field, home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fans can also listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (WIVK-FM 107.7) and satellite radio (Sirius Ch. 84, XM Ch. 374, Internet Ch. 374). Bob Kesling (PxP), Tim Priest (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action.
Need to Know
Tennessee in the Gator Bowl
Thursday will mark Tennessee’s seventh time playing in the Gator Bowl. The Vols are 4-2 in their previous six appearances with wins over Texas A&M (1957), Syracuse (1966), Virginia Tech (1994) and Iowa (2015).
In UT’s most recent Gator Bowl appearance against Iowa, the Vols raced out to a 28-0 lead before going on to win 45-28 over the Hawkeyes. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs was named MVP after passing for 129 yards, rushing for 76 yards and accounting for three touchdowns.
A win on Thursday would be Tennessee’s fourth consecutive bowl victory and third straight in the Gator Bowl.
Bowl Appearance No. 53 for UT Vols
Thursday will mark UT’s 53rd bowl appearance in program history, which is tied for fourth among all college football programs. The Vols hold a 28-24 record in their previous 52 bowl games.
Tennessee’s last four bowl wins have all come against Big Ten opponents:
- 2016 Music City Bowl vs. Nebraska (W, 38-24)
- 2016 Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern (W, 45-6)
- 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Iowa (W, 45-28)
- 2008 Outback Bowl vs. Wisconsin (W, 21-17)
Tennessee Football Racks Up All-SEC Honors
The Vols were well represented on the SEC’s postseason teams with five players earning All-SEC honors and three others garnering All-Freshman honors.
Tennessee’s SEC postseason honorees were: Trey Smith (first team AP & coaches), Nigel Warrior (first team AP, second team coaches), Daniel Bituli (second team coaches), Marquez Callaway (second team coaches), Brent Cimaglia (second team coaches), Wanya Morris (all-freshman team), Henry To’o To’o (all-freshman team) and Darnell Wright (all-freshman team).
Tennessee Vols on a Roll
The Big Orange enter Thursday’s game as one of the hottest teams in college football after winning their final five games of the regular season and six of their last seven.
During the five-game win streak, the Vols improved drastically on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Tennessee scored nearly seven more points per game and gained nearly 70 more total yards per game. Defensively, UT cut their points allowed from 27.0 in the first seven games to just 14.2 over the final five games.
Tennessee Vols Series History vs. Indiana
Tennessee Vols lead series, 1-0
Tennessee and Indiana have met just once, a 27-22 Vols win in the 1988 Peach Bowl. Quarterback Jeff Francis was 20-of-26 passing for 225 yards and two touchdowns while running back Reggie Cobb carried the ball 21 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns to earn MVP honors.
About the Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers went 8-4 this season with a 5-4 record in the Big Ten. It was the programs first eight-win season since 1993. Indiana is led by third-year head coach Tom Allen, who was promoted from his defensive coordinator position after the 2016 season.
Offensively, IU is led by quarterback Peyton Ramsey, who has thrown for 2,227 yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 games this season. Whop Philyor is Ramsey’s top target with 69 receptions for 1,001 yards and five touchdowns. Stevie Scott III was the Hoosiers’ top rusher with 845 yards and 10 touchdowns on 178 carries.
Defensively, linebacker Micah McFadden led the team with 56 tackles and nine tackles for loss. Defensive lineman Allen Stallings IV leads the Hoosiers with five sacks.
