It’s been a long-time coming. Tennessee Football finally delivered a blowout against a lesser team that fans have been craving for this season. The Vols absolutely dominated the UConn Huskies from start to finish to improve to 7-2 on the year. Here are three things we learned from Rocky Top’s impressive homecoming victory on the day.
Heupel offense was back to form
We’ve been waiting all year for the Vols to show the offense that made Hendon Hooker a Heisman candidate. It finally happened. Jaylen Wright ran for an 82-yard touchdown on the first drive. Then it was Joe Milton III time. Milton threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone and ran for another one.
History made by Tennessee Football defense with scores
Nothing like big plays on defense to complement the offense. Rocky Top had three defensive touchdowns in the game, a first in school history. Gabe Jeudy-Lally forced a first-half fumble that Tyler Baron returned for a touchdown. Then on UConn’s first two drives of the second half, Jaylen Mccollough and Aaron Beasley each had a pick-six respectively.
UConn moved the ball too much
Okay, so the Tennessee Football defense outscored UConn 21-3. That doesn’t mean UConn moved the ball way too well. They got a field goal on their second drive and drove into Tennessee territory on three more drives in the first half. This combined with the big plays is how they could dominate time of possession with over 38 minutes despite getting blown out.
Nico time finally happened!
A moment all Tennessee Football fans had been waiting for finally came to fruition early in the second half. Nico Iamaleava came in the game, and he threw a touchdown pass on his first drive. The promise was clear, as he finished 5-of-9 for 86 yards and a TD plus a 25-yard run before Gaston Moore came in. His fluidity running with the ball and his ability to throw on the run really stood out.
Penalties remain an issue for Tennessee Football
Already the most penalized team in the SEC, the Vols did themselves no favors in this game. A big reason UConn was able to move the ball on the day was penalties, as UT finished with 11 for 90 yards. That’s not a big deal against a team like the Huskies, but with the final stretch of SEC games coming, Tennessee Football HAS to fix this.
