TN Volunteers ranked 14th outmanned 24th ranked NC State on Sat Sept 7th in the Dukes Mayo Classic. The Volunteers win by 41 points.
TN Volunteers had Touchdown passes to Miles Kitselman, Holden Staes and Nico Iamaleava ran for a 31 yards score, as the Vols scored on 8 of their 11 possessions with red shirt freshman under center and being the field general.
Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson ran for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns. TN is now 2-0 overall, NC State 1-1 overall, TN total offense was 460 yards. NC State only had 143 total offense. North Carolina state quarterback Grayson McCall was limited to 104 yards passing and had three turnovers. The TN Volunteers held the Wolfpack to 39 yards rushing on 28 carries and that is something else.
It didn’t take long for TN’s Nico to show off his skill set breaking the pocket and out racing two defenders to pick up 12 yards on a 3rd and 7 play. TN had a breakthrough on a 2nd drive with a series of short completions by Nico. Sampson then races for 9 yards up the middle for a touchdown and score, extra point by Gilbert was good. TN 7-NC State- 0
TN & NC State exchange field goals TN 10- NC State 3 NC State McCall over threw tight end Justin Jolly in the flat, and TN Brooks grabs the first interception of his career and raced untouched down the left sideline for the touchdown at a 17- 3 lead for a 85 yard pick 6. It was the 10th longest interception return for a touchdown in school history.
Tennessee’s Gilbert tacked on a 45 yard field go at the end of the first half, to give the Vols a 17 point lead at the Half. TN leads at Halftime 20-3. For NC State everything quickly went from bad to worse to start the 3rd Q. Tennessee’s opening possession of the third quarter, the Vols took off with there 4th run to a wide-open Kitselman down the left side line for a touchdown Kick by Gilbert was Good. TN 27-3
TN Vols Dominic Bailey stripped the ball from NC States McCall at the 22 yard line. That lead to a 32 yard field goal by Gilbert. TN leads by a score of 30-3. North Carolina state was stopped on a 4th & 1 run in its own territory, TN put the game away with the burst up the middle on a quarterback draw with 4:07 left in the third quarter.
Nico for TN finished with 65 yards rushing on 8 carries. Nico wasn’t all perfect, his arm was hit late in the third quarter by NC State Dave Van resulting in 87 yard interception return by Aiden White for a touchdown. TN 37-10
TN scores on a 34 yard touchdown hand off to Dylan Sampson, with 14:07 left in the 4th quarter the kick by Gilbert was good TN 44-10. TN Holden Staes caught a 18 yard touchdown pass with 8:22 to go in the 4th, the extra point was good TN 51-10. TN brings in the 2nd quarterback Gaston Moore with 6:00 min to go in the 4th Q. The Final score stands TN 51 – NC 10
This is the first time that TN has scored 50 or more points in consecutive games since 1914 against Carson Newman and King College. Other tidbits TN forced 3 turnover, 3 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and did not allow 3rd down conversion since the 1st drive of the 1st Q.
TN 2-0 should crack the top 10 with such an impressive WIN.
NC State 1-1
TN will host Kent State at 7:45 on Rocky Top Sept 14th