For a half, Tennessee looked as complete as it has this season against UTSA on Saturday.
The No. 23 Vols put together five scoring drives in the first half, displaying balance on offense while its defense stifled the Roadrunners en route to a commanding halftime lead. Tennessee struggled to do both in the third quarter, but its strong start was enough for a 45-14 bounce back win at Neyland Stadium.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION
Joe Milton III paced the Vols (3-1), finishing 18-of-31 passing for 209 yards and two touchdowns with another score on the ground and the run game returned to form with more than 300 yards. Dylan Sampson rushed for 139 yards and two scores on 11 carries.
Here is a closer look at the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tennessee started quick vs. Florida a week ago but all it took was one play for the Vols to make an early statement against UTSA. On a keeper, Milton raced 81 yards for a touchdown on the first play to go up 7-0 just 20 seconds in.
After the defense forced a three-and-out on the Roadrunners' opening drive, the Tennessee offense kept up its pace, going 62 yards in nine plays and less than three minutes and extending its lead 14-0 on a Sampson 10-yard scoring run.
UTSA was given new life after recovering a punt that Tennessee partially blocked at its own 40-yard line and the Roadrunners drove inside the Vols' 30 but the defense came up with a stop on fourth-and-3 to keep them off the board.
UTSA didn't catch a break on its next punt. The Roadrunners tried a fake with a direct snap to Oscar Cardenas on fourth-and-5 but he was brought down short of the line. In just two plays on the ensuing Tennessee possession, Jabari Small rushed up the middle for 40 yards, then Milton connected with Kaleb Webb for an 18-yard touchdown to lead 21-0 early in the second quarter.
Milton continued to click with his second touchdown toss to Ramel Keyton for 42 yards that swelled the Vols' lead to 28-0 with more than 11 minutes left in the first half.
Tamarion McDonald intercepted Marburger at midfield and Tennessee paid off the takeaway with a Charles Campbell 29-yard field goal to make it 31-0 just before halftime.
UTSA made a quarterback change at the break, going with Owen McCown to start the third quarter and the decision resulted in the Roadrunners' first scoring drive to cut the deficit to 31-7.
McCown inched UTSA closer with a 42-yard touchdown pass to Tykee Ogle-Kellogg that pulled the Roadrunners within 31-14. McCown was 10-of-11 passing for 119 yards in the third.
Tennessee created more separation in the fourth with a 12-play drive that covered 66 yards and nearly five minutes that was capped with Small's second rushing touchdown to pull ahead 38-14.
Sampson put the exclamation point on the win with a 41-yard touchdown run—his second.
PLAYS OF THE GAME
Milton didn't just give Tennessee the lead on his 81-yard touchdown run, he put his name in the Tennessee record books. The rush was the longest by a Vols' quarterback in program history.
Tennessee has struggled to maintain momentum early in games but that wasn't the case on Saturday. After sniffing the fake punt, the Vols took advantage with Milton's touchdown pass to Webb to go up three scores in the first half.
Tennessee was shutout in the third but its much-needed scoring drive that put it ahead 38-14 early in the fourth was set up by a third down shovel pass to Sampson that went for 20 yards and put the Vols at the UTSA 31 before the quarter ended.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Sampson didn't get any carries vs. Florida last week then followed it up with a career outing. His 139 rushing yards are a new career high, besting his 131 yards against Vanderbilt during his freshman season in 2022.
Outside of a sluggish third quarter, Milton was efficient, particularly in the first half. It was his third-straight game this season with multiple touchdown passes and his 89 rushing yards are a Tennessee career best.
McDonald was third on the defense in tackles with seven. He also tallied a tackle for loss and his interception in the second quarter set up a field goal. It was one of two takeaways for the Vols' secondary.
UP NEXT
Tennessee jumps back into league play against South Carolina at Neyland Stadium next Saturday.
The Vols will look to avenge a 63-38 loss against the Gamecocks that knocked them out of College Football Playoff contention last season.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
–––––
– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.
– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.
– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @TMansfieldMedia, @ByNoahTaylor, @RealTBannerman, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media, @TylerIvens, @Hunter_DeNote.
–––––
