West Virginia looked like it was on track to blow out Tennessee in Jeremy Pruitt‘s first game, but the Vols hung tough and remain in the game at the Belk College Kickoff in Charlotte.
After forcing a punt to open the game, West Virginia got on the board first with a 26-yard Evan Staley field goal, then pushed the lead to 10-0 when Will Grier found T.J. Simmons for a 59-yard scoring strike.
The Mountaineers had a golden chance to push the lead to 17-0 late in the first quarter when Grier had David Sills streaking open behind the Tennessee defense, but Grier overshot him and WVU punted. Grier closed the half hitting 9-of-15 passes for 154 yards with a touchdown.
On the ensuing possession, Tennessee put together its best drive of the game, moving 78 yards in 17 plays, including a Jarrett Guarantano pass to Dominick Wood-Anderson on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line to put the Vols on the board. Guarantano is 10-of-13 for 91 yards at the break.
West Virginia answered with a 35-yard field goal to push the lead to 13-7 at the break.
West Virginia receives to open the second half.
