No. 3 Vols run past UT Martin on Homecoming
As far as Homecoming games against FCS teams in mid-October go, things went as expected for No. 3 Tennessee on Saturday.
Coming off of a program-defining win over Alabama a week ago, the Vols looked routine versus UT Martin. Behind another stellar showing from the offense and an opportunistic defense, the Vols routed the Skyhawks, 65-21, in front of a sold out Neyland Stadium.
In just one half, quarterback Hendon Hooker completed 18 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns before handing off the reigns to backup Joe Milton, who took the bulk of the reps in the second half. He finished 4-of-7 for 165 yards and a score.
Tennessee (7-0, 3-0 SEC) scored on its first drive before UT Martin, which has proven to be one of the more prolific offenses in the FCS ranks, answered back with a scoring drive engineered by quarterback Dresser Winn and capped by a 4-yard touchdown run from Zoe Roberts to tie it up at 7-7, but that's as close the Skyhawks (4-3, 3-0 OVC) would get.
The Vols scored 31 unanswered before halftime, an onslaught highlighted by a pair of Hooker touchdown passes to Ramel Keyton. The first pass went for 8-yards and extended Tennessee's lead to 21-7. It also set a new program record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass for Hooker, beating out former Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler at 19-straight games.
Following a five-touchdown performance versus Alabama, Jalin Hyatt caught seven passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns, including a juggling catch for 66-yards thrown by tight end Princeton Fant on the double pass that put the Vols up 52-7 with just over two minutes left in the first half.
In the ground game, Tennessee racked up 185 yards. Freshman Dylan Sampson rushed for 62 of those yards and a touchdown. Fant, after scoring a rushing touchdown in the first half against Alabama, reached the end zone twice out of the backfield on runs of 1-yard and 4-yards, respectively.
While Tennessee's thin secondary looked shaky on a few of UT Martin's early drives, the Vols first-teamers settled in midway through the first quarter.
Tennessee also forced two takeaways. Walk-on defensive back Will Wright intercepted a Winn pass at the Vols 18-yard line and forced a Sam Franklin fumbled at the 27. Both turnovers resulted in touchdowns for the offense.
Tennessee next hosts No.19 Kentucky at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
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