A Saturday that started slow couldn't have ended better for Tennessee.
The No. 11 Vols, entering their final two games on the outside looking in the College Football Playoff, used a second quarter offensive showcase to rout UTEP, 56-0 at Neyland Stadium, whole one other domino fell elsewhere in the SEC.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
Midway through the third quarter in Knoxville, Florida finished off its upset of No. 9 Ole Miss in Gainesville, ending the Rebels playoff hopes and likely positioning Tennessee (9-2) for a climb in the rankings next week.
The Vols also accomplished everything it wanted to on the field. Outside of another sluggish first quarter, Tennessee dominated on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava was 17-of-23 passing for 209 yards and four touchdowns, while running back Dylan Sampson rushed for 77 yards and a score, breaking the single-season total touchdown record set by Gene McEver in 1929.
In a fitting performance on Senior Day, senior wide receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn't caught a touchdown entering Saturday, hauled in two as part of a four-catch, 37-yard performance.
On defense, the Vols accounted for 15 tackles for loss and sacked Miners (2-9) quarterback Skyler Locklear four times. Tennessee forced three turnovers, including a Jermod McCoy interception in the end zone that ended one UTEP's few promising drives in the first quarter.
Boo Carter continued to solidify his spot as a punt returning, returning the ball twice for 56 yards, setting up scoring drives for the offense both times.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND QUARTER
9 plays, 68 yards, 3:00 (time of possession)
Tennessee's offense produced 37 total yards in the first quarter, the result of another sluggish start for the unit that has struggled early much of the season. The Vols showed life late in the first quarter after leaning heavily on Dylan Sampson and it was appropriately Sampson that finished off the drive with a 14-yard run up the middle for his 22nd touchdown of the season--a single-season record.
Tennessee 7, UTEP 0
4 plays, 36 yards, 1:43
Tennessee ended one promising UTEP drive in the first quarter with a Jermod McCoy interception in the end zone, but the offense was unable to take advantage it. Midway through the second, the Vols' defense came up with another takeaway with Rickey Gibson III ripping the ball way from Trey Goodman. The offense paid this one off. Nico Iamaleava hit Squirrel White for a 9-yard touchdown and extended Tennessee's lead to two scores with 7:33 left in the first half.
Tennessee 14, UTEP 0
2 plays, 19 yards, 0:21
Boo Carter has looked one step away from returning a punt for a touchdown for a weeks and was close late in the quarter. He returned the ball to the 19-yard line and gave Tennessee's offense good field position. All it took was two plays to score. Iamaleava linked up with Ethan Davis for an 18-yard gain to the 1, then Iamaleava tossed to Davis again from short-range for the score with 2:19 remaining before the break.
Tennessee 21, UTEP 0
6 plays, 54 yards, 0:53
Another assist for the Tennessee defense. UTEP kept its offense on the field on fourth-and-8 in plus territory, but Skyler Locklear was sacked by James Pearce Jr. for a 6-yard loss, giving the ball back to the offense with just over a minute left. Iamaleava completed two long passes to Holden Staes before an 18-yard touchdown pass to Bru McCoy in the back corner of the end zone to up the Vols' lead just before halftime. It was McCoy first touchdown of the season.
Tennessee 28, UTEP 0
THIRD QUARTER
4 plays, 67 yards, 1:23
Whatever woes Tennessee's offense had early, they escaped it in the second half. The Vols moved quickly on their first drive of the third quarter, eating up 67 yards in less than a minute-and-half. Iamaleava finished off the drive with his fourth touchdown pass--a 7-yard strike to McCoy to extend the lead.
Tennessee 35, UTEP 0
1 plays, 3 yards, 0:04
Carter nearly returned another punt for a score in the third, but Tennessee had to settle for a drive start at the 3. In one play, Peyton Lewis took a handoff and scored on a 3-yard run with 8:09 to go in the quarter.
Tennessee 42, UTEP 0
6 plays, 65 yards, 1:31
With Sampson getting some much-needed rest before a now all-important game against Vanderbilt next week, Lewis continued to make the most of his reps with Tennessee up comfortably. He scored his second touchdown on a 6-yard run to finish off a 65-yard drive.
Tennessee 49, UTEP 0
FOURTH QUARTER
11 plays, 44 yards, 5:17
With much of its second and third team players in on offense, Cam Seldon became the third Tennessee running back to score--a career first after punching in a 3-yard run for a touchdown with 8:24 to go.
Tennessee 56, UTEP 0
UP NEXT
With Tennessee's now presumably back firmly in the College Football Playoff picture, its regular season finale looms even larger.
The Vols play Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville next Saturday (12 p.m. ET, ABC) with a chance to bolster their resume and further assure a playoff spot.
The Commodores have been better than expected. They're already bowl eligible with six wins, which includes a 40-35 victory over then-No. 1 Alabama last month, but have lost two of their last three games.
Tennessee has won four-straight against Vanderbilt under Josh Heupel.
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