Dylan Sampson didn't know where he was at.

The Tennessee running back, steering headfirst into a white and blue-shirted mass of humanity late in the fourth quarter Saturday night, wasn't sure how close he was to the end zone, but hadn't heard a whistle, so he kept driving his legs. Then he felt a push.

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Sampson, on the doorstep of breaking a program record that had stood for 95 years, needed just a few more yards. His teammates pushed him there.

He initially met Kentucky linebacker Noah Matthews at the line of scrimmage. Then Kristian Story ran in to help. A few more Wildcats defenders joined in, but Sampson started plowing forward, the hands of the whole of the Vols' offensive line, tight end Miles Kitselman and wide receiver Bru McCoy on him. Even quarterback Nico Iamaleava rushed in to help with the final push.

Sampson fell to the turf, now several yards into the end zone. He landed the final blow in Tennessee's 28-18 victory at Neyland Stadium and landed atop the program record books, becoming the record-holder for single-season touchdowns runs with 19, one more than Gene McEver rushed for when he set the record in 1929.

"I was surprised they didn't blow the whistle," Sampson quipped.

For Sampson, it was how he scored that might have meant more than the touchdown itself. It was a complete team effort and an encapsulation of the program's culture: Sampson, the vocal leader who has carried a sometimes-stagnant offense to three-straight come-from-behind wins was now being carried by his teammates.

"That meant a lot to me," Sampson said. "I'm going to cherish that play forever because my teammates wanted me to get that as much, probably even more than I did...That just shows the brotherhood we have and how much we want each other to succeed."

Kitselman will remember it, too.

On a night that he caught a career six passes for 97 yards and a touchdown that extended the Vols' lead to two scores in the third quarter, it was blocking on Sampson's touchdown run that Kitselman seemingly relished the most.

"I told Dylan from the beginning that I'll always block for him," Kitselman said. "Man, this team has a culture, and we have such a deep love for each other. Just for me to be here to tell my kids one day that I played with Dylan Sampson, I blocked for him, I was there when he broke the record. That just means the world to me that I could be a part of it."

Every Sampson touchdown run in the previous three games leading up to the one that etched his name into Tennessee football lore was significant.

Before Saturday, the Vols hadn't scored a first half touchdown in 42 days. Freshman running back Peyton Lewis ended that skid with a 1-yard rushing score with less than five minutes left in the second quarter, but it didn't exactly cure all of Tennessee's offensive ales.

Sampson, like he did in the second half against Florida and Alabama, took over, reaching the 100-yard threshold for the seventh time this season and tying McEver for the record with his 18th touchdown, this one to put the Vols in front for good in the third quarter.

Two weeks ago, his third quarter touchdown to tie Alabama after another scoreless first half, drew him even with former Tennessee running back Tony Thompson. His next touchdown a few drives later tied Reggie Cobb's modern era record of 17 rushing touchdowns set in 1987.

Now, Sampson isn't just among good company, he is at the top of it and any conversation about the best running backs at a school that has produced a plethora of them, Sampson's name will forever be mentioned.

"I think it hit me when it happened," Sampson said. "It's a blessing to break that record...But now it's about how far I can push the needle and how far we can go as an offense. It's not over. I'm glad I accomplished that, and now it's time to keep putting more stats up there and keep being dominant."

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