Hilltoppers commit five quick turnovers

Published Sep. 9, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Sometimes it seems like an offense can't do anything right.

Western Kentucky knows the feeling. The Hilltoppers turned the ball over five times in a span of six plays against Tennessee in a 52-20 loss on Saturday.

That's right. Five turnovers, six plays.

''I don't remember that many interceptions and that many turnovers back-to-back-to-back-to-back,'' Western Kentucky coach Bobby Petrino said. ''It really dug us a hole.''

Ya think?

Western Kentucky's second through sixth series ended like this: interception, interception, fumble, fumble, interception.

Tennessee converted the turnovers into four touchdowns and a field goal, or 31 points, with Justin Coleman and Cameron Sutton returning picks for TDs.

The Hilltoppers committed two other turnovers, including one the Vols turned into another touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Brandon Doughty threw the five interceptions and was the first Western Kentucky quarterback since 1977 to get picked off that many times in a game.

Tennessee's seven takeaways were its most since it had that many against Memphis in 1984. The Vols hadn't intercepted five passes in a game since they did it against Kentucky in 1999.

There are no records kept for most turnovers in fewest number of plays. According to the NCAA, the record for consecutive series ending in a turnover is seven by Florida State against Florida in 1972. That run of bad luck happened on the Seminoles' first seven possessions.