Nico Iamaleava threw for a school-record 314 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of his first ever regular season start, and Dylan Sampson added 124 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to lead Tennessee Football to a season-opening win over the Chattanooga Mocs. The Vols dominated 69-3.
UT generated over 500 yards of total offense en route to a 45-0 lead at halftime. Iamalaeva finished 22-of-28 on the day. Dont’e Thornton led the team in receiving with three caches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Ethan Davis added a touchdown grab, and Bru McCoy added six catches for 88 yards.
The Vols took the opening drive and marched 65 yards down the field on 11 plays for their first touchdown. Tennessee Football had to convert a 4th and 1 in the red zone before Sampson ran for a six-yard score on the next play. Sampson had 12 carries for 124 yards and three touchdowns on the day.
That sparked a run of seven straight drives in which Tennessee Football scored, six of which ended in touchdowns. Meanwhile, the defense forced a fumble on Chattanooga’s first offensive drive and then three straight three-and-outs. Rocky Top did have to punt on the final two drives of the first half.
Josh Heupel, who entered his fourth year on the job, didn’t even play Iamaleava at all in the second half. Gaston Moore came in and completed 7-of-12 passes for 69 yards and an interception. Jake Merklinger then stepped in and completed all four of his attempts for 35 yards..
Chattanooga did march down the field for a field goal to open the second half on a nine-play, 50-yard drive. That was all they were able to do the whole game, though, as the Tennessee Football defense held them to under 250 yards of total offense for the game. UT closed out the game with a blocked punt returned for a touchdown.
Now at 1-0, Tennessee Football will face the N.C. State Wolfpack next week in Charlotte for what is technically a neutral site game. Chattanooga, meanwhile, has another FBS matchup at the Georgia State Panthers before the top 10 FCS team moves into facing opponents at their level in Rusty Wright’s sixth season.
