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UNLV Falls To No. 14 Tennessee, 42-17
Dominique Dorsey had 18 carries for 121 yards and a 17-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Sept. 6, 2004
By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Brent Schaeffer became the first Southeastern Conference freshman quarterback to start an opener in 59 years, running for one touchdown and throwing for another score in No. 14 Tennessee's 42-17 win over UNLV on Sunday night. Fellow freshman Erik Ainge, who was bracketed with Schaeffer at No. 1 on the depth chart, passed for two touchdowns. Georgia's John Rauch in 1945 was the last true SEC freshman to start a season opener. Both freshmen were able to show off their special skills: Schaeffer's elusive running, and Ainge's strong arm. Schaeffer fumbled to end his first series, but he ran for a 1-yard touchdown in his second series. On third-and-1, Schaeffer got past a defender in the backfield, rolled right, dodged more defenders and ran into the end zone to give Tennessee a 7-3 lead. Schaeffer went 7-of-10 for 123 yards and ran seven times for 29 yards. Ainge came in for the Volunteers' third possession and capped an 80-yard drive with a 42-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Fayton. Ainge's best effort came in the second half, when he completed a 3-yard pass to Tony Brown for touchdown at the end of a 13-play, 82-yard drive. Ainge was 7-of-9 for 69 yards in the drive and finished 10-of-17 for 118 yards. The freshmen fared better in their collegiate debuts than Tennessee's defense, which, at times, had trouble stopping UNLV's tailbacks. The Rebels, who have lost four of six openers under coach John Robinson, rolled up 164 yards on the ground. Dominique Dorsey had 18 carries for 121 yards and a 17-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He went over 100 yards for the sixth time in his career. Dyante Perkins ran 3 yards for another score in the third quarter. Tennessee lost starting tailback Cedric Houston because of a right ankle injury in the third quarter. He rushed for 97 yards. Gerald Riggs filled in and finished with 79 yards on 13 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run. Corey Larkins added a 23-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
UNLV led 3-0 early in the first quarter, but the Vols responded with 28 straight points to put the game out of reach. The Rebels avoided a rout similar to the 62-3 thrashing they took in their only other meeting with Tennessee, in 1996 in Knoxville. UNLV dropped to 3-13 against ranked opponents after winning their last two games against then No. 14 Wisconsin and then-No. 13 Colorado State last season. |
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