Tennessee football and Vanderbilt got into a scuffle Saturday at Neyland Stadium that led to benches clearing in front of the UT sideline after tensions built on previous plays.
Tennessee defensive end Tyler Baron and defensive lineman Dominic Bailey and Vanderbilt’s Delfin Xavier Castillo drew unsportsmanlike penalties for their roles in the kerfuffle, which started in front of the UT bench and caused the benches to partially clear.
“Be smart,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said of his message to the team at halftime on SEC Network. “Don’t do something that embarrasses you, takes away from the team. Be smart.”
Commodores coach Clark Lea drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty prior to the play after a series of stress-building moments. Vanderbilt cornerback Alan Wright got an unsportsmanlike penalty after a Tennessee extra-point late in the second quarter to bring the total to five in the first half between the teams.
A few plays before the skirmish started, Baron hit Vanderbilt quarterback A.J. Swann after a whistle for a false start, which started the tensions. Vanderbilt players got after UT defensive end James Pearce Jr. after a sack on the following play, which was wiped out due to a delay of game. Pearce and UT’s Joshua Josephs walloped Swann in the backfield. The play trickled toward the Vanderbilt sideline as Commodores players got after Pearce, who walked away. Lea was penalized after the back-to-back hits on Swann on plays that were blown dead due to penalties.
Vanderbilt running back Sedrick Alexander rushed up the middle for a 3-yard gain on third-and-39 following Lea’s penalty. Well away from play, Baron and Castillo got involved and the brouhaha began.
Defensive lineman Bryson Eason got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the end of the third quarter for “striking an opponent in the face.”
This story will be updated.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it
