'Not who we are': Kent State turned down running clock in blowout loss to Tennessee

Tennessee football offered Kent State either a running clock or shortened second-half quarters Saturday amid a blowout at Neyland Stadium.

Kent State dismissed the idea and opted to play out the game as planned.

"That is not who we are as a team or a culture," Golden Flashes coach Kenni Burns said. "There are a lot of teams that lost today in lump sums. They’re not getting running clocks. A football game is a football game.

"I talked to the captains about it and they said, 'Absolutely not.' I said, 'Absolutely not.' It’s just not who we are at all as a football program."

No. 9 Tennessee (3-0) hammered Kent State 71-0 in a record-setting offensive outing . The Vols led 65-0 at halftime, which led to conversations about altering the game clock in the second half against the Golden Flashes (0-3).

“You’d have to talk to our administration on that side of it and I say that meaning that it was something that was talked about but ultimately didn’t happen," Vols coach Josh Heupel said.

The NCAA rule book states that at "any time during the game, the playing time of any remaining period or periods may be shortened by mutual agreement of the opposing head coaches and the referee." It is up to the teams participating and referees to determine how to alter the clock.

On Thursday, South Alabama and Northwestern State agreed to shorten the fourth quarter by six minutes in an 87-10 win by the Jaguars. Earlier this season, Stephen F. Austin and NAIA North American University played five-minute quarters after halftime in a 77-0 win for the Lumberjacks. It was a 70-0 game at halftime and Stephen F. Austin indicated that "both coaches agreed to run the clock in the second half."

Tennessee scored nine touchdowns on its first nine drives during a record-setting offensive game. UT set program records in the modern era for points (71), points in a half (65), points in a quarter (37) and total offense (740).

PAYOUT: How much Tennessee paid Kent State for blowout loss at Neyland Stadium

Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson scored four first-half touchdowns with three in the first quarter. Backup DeSean Bishop added two touchdowns. UT had three passing touchdowns. Nico Iamaleava threw a 53-yarder to Chris Brazzell II. Backup QB Gaston Moore threw two second-quarter touchdowns.

The Vols kicked two second-half field goals, the latter of which led to UT setting the program scoring record with 71 points.

Burns believed his team responded after turning down the opportunity to speed up the hefty loss.

“I think the second half you saw their response to it,” Burns said. “They came back, they fought from it, and that is what their coach said to us after the game that our fight in the second half was impressive.”

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com 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.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: 'Not who we are': Kent State turned down running clock in blowout loss to Tennessee