Nov 30, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA;  Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) passes the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Down 14 early, No. 8 Tennessee rallies past Vanderbilt

Nico Iamaleava threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns as No. 8 Tennessee stormed back from an early deficit to beat host Vanderbilt 36-23 in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.

Two of those scoring strikes went to Dont’e Thornton (three catches, 118 yards) while Dylan Sampson added 178 rushing yards on 25 carries.

Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) held Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia to 8-of-17 passing for 104 yards and outsnapped (73-49) and outgained (538-232) the Commodores (6-6, 3-5).

The Vols won’t play in the SEC title game, but likely clinched a College Football Playoff berth and possibly a first-round home game.

Vanderbilt got 17 first-quarter points against the Vols, who’d given up just over 13 points a game. Tennessee scored 29 unanswered points starting with the second quarter until Pavia found Richie Hoskins with a 31-yard touchdown with 5:53 to play.

The Vols picked up where they left off in the first half as Iamaleava found Mike Matthews for a 14-yard TD pass with 8:43 left in the third for a 31-17 lead.

Tennessee’s Jackson Ross, punting for the first time all day, pinned the Commodores at their 4. Two plays later, the Vols tackled Sedrick Alexander for a safety.

Max Gilbert hit a 22-yard field goal on the Vols’ ensuing drive for a 19-point lead.

Tennessee averaged 10.3 yards per play and didn’t punt in the first half, but led just 24-17 thanks to turnovers (a 2-1 deficit), penalties (seven for 55 yards) and a Vanderbilt special teams touchdown.

Vanderbilt’s Junior Sherrill opened the game with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and after CJ Taylor forced a Sampson fumble that Nick Rinaldi pounced on at Tennessee’s 26, Alexander scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to put the Commodores up 14-0 just 4:38 in.

Iamaleava found Thornton for touchdown throws of 28 and 86 yards, and then hit Miles Kitselman with 22 seconds left in the first half, giving Tennessee its first lead.

Vanderbilt’s Brock Taylor hit a 32-yard field goal with 4:01 remaining in the first quarter, but the Vols scored the half’s final 17 points, starting with Gilbert’s 50-yard field goal, which hit the crossbar and bounced over.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) runs with the ball during a college football game between Tennessee and Mississippi State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.

No. 7 Tennessee pulls away late to finish off Mississippi State

Nico Iamaleava threw two touchdown passes in the first half before leaving with an injury, and Dylan Sampson rushed for his 20th score of the season Saturday night as No. 7 Tennessee stopped Mississippi State 33-14 in Knoxville, Tenn.

Iamaleava completed 8 of 13 passes for 174 yards but didn’t return for the second half after sustaining an upper-body injury late in the second quarter. However, the Volunteers (8-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) led 20-7 at the half and weren’t truly threatened by the Bulldogs (2-8, 0-6).

Sampson collected 149 yards on 30 carries, going over the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. Tennessee rolled up 452 total yards, split almost equally between rushing (240) and passing (212).

Freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. had a rough night for Mississippi State, hitting just 10 of 26 passes for 92 yards with an interception. The Volunteers’ defense applied steady pressure, notching four sacks.

Tennessee has tied Texas A&M for the SEC lead, a half-game ahead of Texas. The Volunteers can wrap up a spot in the SEC title game next month by winning next week at Georgia and on Nov. 30 at Vanderbilt.

Tennessee took a quick 7-0 lead just over three minutes into the game when Iamaleava and Squirrel White hooked up for a 34-yard strike. It became 14-0 at the 13:35 mark of the second quarter when Iamaleava started a drive by finding Dont’e Thornton for a 73-yard touchdown.

The Bulldogs got on the board with 5:47 left when Davon Booth, who rushed for 125 yards on 20 attempts, capped a march of nearly eight minutes with a 3-yard scoring jaunt. But Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert converted field goals of 24 and 38 yards in the final minute to make the halftime margin 13.

Gilbert boomed a 51-yarder at the 7:59 mark of the third quarter, before Johnnie Daniels ripped off an 18-yard touchdown run on Mississippi State’s next drive to pull the Bulldogs within 23-14.

Sampson answered with a 33-yard scoring burst with 3:31 remaining in the third, and Gilbert nailed a 38-yard field goal with 8:14 left in the game to cap the scoring.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA;  Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) tries to avoid a tackle attempt by South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Jalon Kilgore (24) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated South Carolina 27-25. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Jalen Milroe, No. 7 Alabama set sights on No. 11 Tennessee

In past seasons, losing a second game on the third Saturday in October would leave a team’s playoffs hope in major jeopardy.

But with the current campaign being the first for a 12-team playoff, a second loss this soon is no longer a killer. That’s good news for No. 7 Alabama and No. 11 Tennessee when they battle on Saturday at Knoxville, Tenn.

The Southeastern Conference showdown still is vitally important as the winner maintains the chance of landing one of the four first-round byes.

Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) also is trying to turn around a series in which it has dropped 16 of the past 17 meetings. The win was two years ago (52-49) when the Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1) last visited town.

“Another huge contest here for us,” Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said Monday. “Rivalry game and college football as good as it gets here with these two teams playing. So looking forward to seeing our fans out on Saturday and needing a great week of practice preparation for a really good football team that we’re playing.”

The contest marks Alabama’s first game against Tennessee since 2006 without Nick Saban as coach.

“This rivalry has been around a long time before Nick Saban was a part of it or I was a part of it,” said Heupel, coaching against the Crimson Tide for the fourth time. “The magnitude of this rivalry is the historical nature and what it’s meant inside of this league a lot.”

First-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has been hearing about the importance of this game for months.

“I’ve been told it’s a big deal, and I know it’s a big deal. You see it from afar,” DeBoer said Monday. “As a coach, they’re all big and you take one at a time. But certainly understand the significance of the rivalry. Guys are going to be very motivated to go out and do their best and prepare well and be great on Saturday.”

The Crimson Tide haven’t displayed their best side lately. Two weeks ago, they were ranked No. 1 when they sustained a 40-35 road loss against lowly Vanderbilt. Last week, only a failed two-point conversion prevented visiting South Carolina from pushing the game into overtime as Alabama escaped 27-25.

Star quarterback Jalen Milroe has been a season-long standout for the Crimson Tide while accounting for 23 touchdowns (12 passing, 11 rushing). Milroe has averaged 41.4 yards on his 12 passing scores and has completed 72.4 percent of his passes.

However, Milroe threw two interceptions against South Carolina. DeBoer said he discussed the mistakes with Milroe, who has thrown four picks on the season.

“We just keep stacking these moments on top of these moments,” DeBoer said. “He’ll remember anything that happened this game. He’s gonna remember what happened to him four weeks ago, and that’s what I love about him.”

Freshman wideout Ryan Williams has been part of many of the big plays with a 25.0-yard average. Seven of his 23 catches have gone for 43 or more yards.

Tennessee, though, has been stout defensively. The Volunteers rank second nationally in total defense (249.8 yards per game) and fourth in scoring defense (10.7).

But the unit sustained a big blow in last Saturday’s 23-17 overtime victory over Florida when linebacker Keenan Pili (knee) was lost for the season.

Star running back Dylan Sampson has stood out by rushing for 699 yards and 15 touchdowns, the latter ranking second nationally behind Boise State star Ashton Jeanty. In fact, the TD count is already fourth best in Vols’ history. Gene McEver holds the single-season record of 18 in 1929.

Sampson rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns against the Gators. It was his fifth 100-yard outing of the season.

–Field Level Media

Knights defensive tackle Lee Hunter (2) pressures Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 5, 2024. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

No. 8 Vols aim to bounce back in series dominated by Florida

After staggering to its first loss and set to face a rival that holds a sizable advantage in the recent series, No. 8 Tennessee has its work cut out as it prepares to face Florida.

With the two teams trending in different directions, the Volunteers will oppose the Gators in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday night in Knoxville, Tenn.

Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) joined conference rivals Alabama and Missouri last weekend as all three took their first loss.

In the SEC’s parity-riddled first six weeks, only first-place Texas A&M (3-0) and one-win Texas and LSU remain undefeated in conference tilts, while the remaining elites lost over the past two weekends.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel’s team went to Arkansas and dropped a 19-14 decision, failing to display the productive offense it enjoyed over the season’s first month.

After managing only two touchdowns in a low-key 25-15 win over Oklahoma on Sept. 21, Tennessee found paydirt just twice once again vs. the Razorbacks.

“So many self-inflicted wounds,” Heupel said. “Too many pre-snap penalties, playing penalties and miscommunication. So at times you’re not playing on tempo. At the end of the day, you’ve got to play smart, effective football.”

Volunteers freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava went 16 of 28 for 156 yards and was sacked four times.

Heupel said it will be a relief to play a home game for the first time in a month, and he expects Neyland Stadium to be rocking.

“We need to have the Neyland Effect in effect on Saturday night,” he said.

The Gators (3-2, 1-1) have produced two straight victories — an SEC win at Mississippi State and an in-state triumph last Saturday over UCF.

Quarterback Graham Mertz passed for 179 yards and a touchdown as Florida downed the Knights 24-13.

While Heupel said the Gators are “playing their best ball right now,” the team’s top performances over the past two decades typically come in meetings with the Volunteers, whether it be in Knoxville or Gainesville.

Over the past 19 matchups, Florida has won 17 times, and the Gators logged an 11-game winning streak from 2005 to 2015.

Only stellar outings by a pair of Tennessee quarterbacks prevented a 19-game Gators streak: Joshua Dobbs accounted for five TDs in a 38-28 rally in 2016, and Hendon Hooker’s 349-yard effort in a 38-33 win two years ago, both in Knoxville.

Florida holds the all-time series lead 32-21 after a 29-16 upset of the then-11th-ranked Volunteers at home last September.

“Tennessee has a really good football team, and all three parts of their team present challenges,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “I have a ton of respect for how they play, the tempo on offense and the physicality of their run game paired with the explosive plays. The vertical shots and the perimeter concepts can be very challenging. Defensively, they continue to get better.”

The Gators stuffed UCF’s powerful running attack in on Saturday, limiting the Knights to 108 yards on 40 carries (2.7 per rush).

“As I’ve said before, if we want to be a consistent contender here and have a championship-caliber team, we’re going to have to play championship-caliber defense,” Napier said. “I’m pleased with the direction there.”

–Field Level Media

Tennessee linebacker Jeremiah Telander (22) celebrates a fumble recovery at the NCAA College football game between Tennessee and NC State on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 in Charlotte, NC.

No. 7 Tennessee on guard with MAC’s Kent State up next

Seventh-ranked Tennessee averaged 60 points in its first two games, allowing an average of 6.5.

That can’t be a comforting detail for winless Kent State as it faces the Volunteers in Knoxville just one week after losing to FCS program Saint Francis (Pa.).

Tennessee (2-0) rolled over Chattanooga 69-3 in its opener and followed it up by whipping then-No. 24 North Carolina State 51-10 last weekend in Charlotte, N.C.

The Volunteers are gaining 589 yards per game while allowing 185. Opponents have converted just 4 of 26 third-down opportunities.

The trick for Tennessee is figuring out how to take Kent State seriously after the Golden Flashes fell 23-17 to the Red Flash.

“You can go back and look at the scores from across America each week and there’s examples of guys that didn’t prepare, didn’t practice right, didn’t have the right competitive spirit to go take advantage of the next opportunity,” Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said. “There’s a lot of work that goes into it. There’s very few opportunities, this is our next one — gotta be ready to go take advantage of it.”

Kent State coach Kenni Burns knows the deck is stacked against his team but promises that his club will fight.

“I still believe in our football team,” Burns said. “I still think they’re extremely talented. I think this is a great youthful moment for these guys to learn how to handle adversity and respond.

“We didn’t play well enough to win. All it is is they’re 0-1 in the Saint Francis season. That is it. They have to move on and respond.”

Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava is completing 74.5 percent of his passes and has five touchdown passes. But he also threw two interceptions in the rout of NC State.

Heupel watched Iamaleava closely after the picks and liked his body language.

“We don’t want to turn the ball over,” Heupel said. “You’d like to have a couple of those back, but I think one thing we learned about him is how he’s going to respond to something that doesn’t go positive, and doesn’t go his way. And he came back and played the next play independently, played like the first play again.”

Dylan Sampson is averaging 8.0 yards per carry while topping 100 rushing yards in both games. He has 256 yards and five touchdowns.

Kent State was routed 55-24 by host Pitt in its season opener before the humbling home loss to Saint Francis. It was the first time the Red Flash have ever defeated a FBS program.

So the Golden Flashes now attempt to move on. And Burns knows one area in which the club needs to improve immediately — running the football.

Kent State is averaging just 1.7 yards per carry and 54.5 yards per game. Leading rusher Ky Thomas has 79 yards with 32 coming on one play.

“We gotta run the ball,” Burns said. “We gotta figure out how to run the ball better up front and with our running backs. There were glimpses of hope, but still not what I expect it to be.

“I don’t want to be a team that throws it 50 times a game. To me, that’s not championship football.”

Golden Flashes quarterback Devin Kargman is averaging 33 attempts per game. He has passed for 374 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Kameron Olds is standing out on defense with a team-best three sacks.

This is the first meeting between the schools.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (18) celebrates after a big run during Tennessee's game against Chattanooga in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.

No. 15 Tennessee scores on first 7 possessions, routs Chattanooga

Redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava threw for three first-half touchdowns and running back Dylan Sampson reached the end zone three times before halftime as No. 15 Tennessee trounced visiting Chattanooga 69-3 in the season opener Saturday afternoon at Knoxville, Tenn.

Dont’e Thornton Jr. made two of the early touchdown catches, with Tennessee scoring on its first seven possessions.

A 45-0 halftime score gave the Volunteers plenty of time to back off in advance of next Saturday’s Top 25 showdown against North Carolina State in Charlotte, N.C. The score was 24-0 less than 12 minutes into the game.

Iamaleava finished 22-for-28 for 314 passing yards — all in the first half. For the game, 14 different Volunteers made at least one reception.

Iamaleava, making his second career start, threw four yards to Ethan Davis for his first scoring toss, just four plays after Chattanooga’s first possession ended with a fumble. He had three touchdown throws in the game’s first 20 minutes.

Sampson’s scoring runs of 1, 3 and 5 yards were part of 124 rushing yards on 12 carries in the first half. Sampson, a junior, eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in his career.

DeSean Bishop also ran for a Tennessee touchdown from 22 yards out and Khalifa Keith had a 1-yard TD run. Max Gilbert kicked field goals of 36 and 42 yards for the Volunteers, who added a late-game TD off a blocked punt by Jordan Ross.

Tennessee used 11 snaps to go 65 yards on its first touchdown drive, but other scoring possessions came much quicker.

Chattanooga’s first possession of the second half resulted in Jude Kelley’s 43-yard field goal. Quarterback Chase Artopoeus finished 12-for-23 for 141 passing yards.

The Volunteers rolled up 502 yards of total offense in the first half compared to Chattanooga’s 83 yards.

The Mocs are a nationally ranked Football Championship Subdivision team, but they never found their footing in this first game of the year.

Tennessee has won 11 straight games in the series since a Chattanooga victory in 1958.

–Field Level Media