Vols have a good day, roll over UTEP 56-0
Published 12:15 pm Monday, November 25, 2024
Photo by Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics Bru McCoy breaks loose for an 18-yard touchdown.
Photo by Emma Ramsey/Tennessee Athletics Vols seniors gather postgame in front of the student section.
Photo by Avery Bane/Tennessee Athletics Vols tailback Cameron Seldon keeps his legs moving for a nine-yard pickup.
Photo by Avery Bane/Tennessee Athletics The Vols’ smothering defense looks to complete a 56-0 shutout over the Miners.
Photo by Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics Dylan Sampson leads the Vols’ rushing attack with 77 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.
Photo by Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics Nico Iamaleava finishes his day 17-of-23 for 209 yards passing and four touchdowns.
Photo by Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Josh Heupel addresses the media after the Vols’ 56-0 rout of UTEP.
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By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
Following a week in which the Vols fell out of the group of 12 to make the College Football Playoff Rankings, the last thing they could afford was a slip-up against a 2-8 Conference USA team. With a win, Josh Heupel would notch his ninth victory of the season, marking the third straight season the Vols have won at least nine games. As fortune would have it, this day turned out better than most thought.
The first quarter was sluggish for the Vols. They forced the Miners into a three-and-out on their first possession, giving the Vols the ball at their own 41-yard line. However, Tennessee had to punt on its first possession, facing fourth-and-three. The Miners advanced into Tennessee territory on a jet sweep lateral to quarterback Skyler Locklear, who sprinted to the Vols’ 41-yard line. On the next play, though, the Vols intercepted the ball at their own 3-yard line. Once again, the Vols’ offense stalled, forcing another punt.
On their next series, the Miners attempted a 49-yard field goal that fell woefully short, giving the Vols the ball at the 36-yard line. Tennessee finally got its offense going when Dylan Sampson scored on a 14-yard run off tackle—his record-setting 22nd rushing touchdown of the season—making it 7-0 with 13:22 left in the second quarter. Tennessee had a touchdown nullified by an offensive pass interference call on Mike Matthews, but it only delayed the inevitable. Nico Iamaleava found Squirrel White in the flat, and White scampered nine yards for a touchdown, increasing the Vols’ lead to 14-0.
Tennessee’s fifth drive of the day was derailed by another offensive pass interference penalty, but a stellar punt by Jackson Ross pinned the Miners at their own 3-yard line. Tennessee responded by forcing a three-and-out. After a Cameron Seldon 18-yard punt return to the Miners’ 19-yard line, Iamaleava connected with tight end Ethan Davis on back-to-back passes, the latter a one-yard touchdown pass, to make it 21-0 Tennessee.
With the Miners facing fourth-and-eight, James Pierce introduced himself to backup quarterback JP Pickles with a six-yard sack. That left the Vols with 1:01 on the clock at their own 46-yard line. Iamaleava quickly moved the ball downfield, hitting Holden Staes on two passes for 30 yards before capping the drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Bru McCoy, giving Tennessee its fourth touchdown of the quarter and a 28-0 lead at halftime.
It was a second quarter that saw Tennessee outgain UTEP 189-47.
Tennessee wasted no time scoring as the second half began, marching 67 yards in just 1:28. Iamaleava found McCoy for a seven-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 35-0. The drive was keyed by a 29-yard run up the right sideline by Iamaleava. Smelling blood in the water, Tennessee’s defense forced another three-and-out. The Vols took over at their own 48-yard line with 11:57 left in the third quarter. A holding penalty negated a 36-yard run by Sampson, and the Vols were forced to punt. A 47-yard punt by Ross pinned the Miners at their own 4-yard line. Tennessee’s defense forced yet another three-and-out, and Boo Carter set up the Vols with a 39-yard punt return to the Miners’ 3-yard line. Freshman Peyton Lewis rumbled in for the score, extending the lead to 42-0.
The Miners drove to the Tennessee 25-yard line, but Pierce sacked Pickles for a nine-yard loss. The Miners attempted a 52-yard field goal that hit the bottom of the goalpost. Tennessee responded with another dominant drive. Tight end Miles Kitselman hauled in a 24-yard reception to the UTEP 15-yard line for a first down. On the next play, Lewis rolled over a tackle attempt for his second score of the day, extending the lead to 49-0 with 1:30 left in the third quarter. The Miners attempted a fourth-and-one but came up short, giving the Vols possession at the UTEP 44-yard line.
The next drive marked the end of the day for Iamaleava and many other offensive starters. However, that didn’t stop the Vols, as Cameron Seldon dove over the right side for a three-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 56-0. The drive chewed nearly six minutes off the clock. The two teams exchanged possessions, with the Miners ending the game on a sack.
After a sluggish start, Iamaleava finished the day 17-of-23 for 208 yards and four touchdowns. Senior Bru McCoy recorded his first two touchdowns of the day, while Sampson finished with 77 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Defensively, the Vols had 26 players record at least one tackle.
During the second half, the scoreboard flashed the news of the Gators’ upset of No. 9 Ole Miss, 24-17. Coupled with Ohio State’s thrashing of No. 5 Indiana, the Vols seemed poised for a return to the CFP rankings.
When asked about the Ole Miss and Indiana losses, head coach Josh Heupel said, “I’ve said it before—there is a lot of football left to be played. We’ve seen it; we’ve lived it. It’s about controlling yourself, preparing, and playing well on Saturdays. I’m proud of the way we handled this week.”
