Honestly, this list could have gone about 15-deep. Tennessee Football finally got the blowout win it was looking for with the offense coming across as the one Hendon Hooker ran with Josh Heupel last year. However, defense was just as big in this one. Here’s a look at the torchbearers, the top five Vols in their 59-3 win over the UConn Huskies.
5. Nico Iamaleava
It was meaningless action, but we’ve been waiting for it all year. Nico Iamaleava finally got to play two series, and he led a touchdown drive with a 25-yard run while going 5-of-9 for 86 yards and a TD pass. McCallan Castles, who finished with four catches for 56 yards and caught Iamaleava’s score, deserves a shoutout here, but Iamaleava got the spot.
4. Jaylen McCollough
Gabe Jeudy-Lally deserves a mention for forcing a fumble that was returned for a defensive touchdown. However, Jaylen McCollough himself had a pick-six, one of two for Tennessee Football. Add in the fact that cornerbacks allowed too many completions in the game, and McCollough, as a safety, had a more positive impact. As a result, he makes this list.
3. Jaylen Wright
An 82-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game was obviously going to put Jaylen Wright on track to be a torchbearer. Wright has consistently been the Vols’ best running back on the year, and he finished with eight carries for 113 yards and that score. He also had a key seven-yard grab to spark another touchdown drive.
2. Joe Milton III
Now more healthy and with Cooper Mays back, Joe Milton III is clearly finding his groove. In this one, he finished 11-of-14 for 254 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions while running for seven yards and another score. His two TD passes were a 60-yarder to Ramel Keyton, who finished with two grabs for 81 yards, and an 83-yarder to Squirrel White, who had two grabs for 94 yards.
1. Tyler Baron
All year long, Tyler Baron has been knocking on the door and just waiting for an explosive game. This was it. He finished with two tackles for a loss and returned a fumble for a touchdown, the first Tennessee Football defensive score. Aaron Beasley deserves credit as a front seven member too, as he had a pick-six, but he struggled in pass defense at times. Baron, meanwhile, was a superstar out there.
