Tennessee Vols: #15 Vols Dominate in Win over Chattanooga

The Tennessee Volunteers opened their ‘24-25 football season against U.T. Chattanooga. Although Chattanooga is an FCS team, they are certainly no slouch. The Mocs finished 8-5 and second in the Southern Conference in 2023. The Vols took little to no time to begin the throttling of their opponent. 

The Vols took over every aspect of the game. The defensive starters played through the first half, only allowing 94 yards, and no points. The offense looked as close to their 2022 counterpart as possible, scoring 45 points in the first half and finishing the day with well over 700 yards of total offense. 

#15 Vols Dominate in Win over Chattanooga

Nico Iamaleava

Nico Iamaleava had a masterful first performance starting in front of the home crowd. He only played the first half, but put up an average quarterback’s dream stat line. In one half, Iamaleava finished 22/28 for 314 yards (a program record in a single half) and three touchdowns. If he can maintain these types of performances against quality opponents, the sky’s the limit for this young quarterback.

Nico's 314 first-half passing yards are a program record for a half pic.twitter.com/JCAUBBD3Yh

— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) August 31, 2024

Dont’e Thornton Jr.

Dont’e Thornton Jr. had a rough 2023 season. His highs from last season both came against Kentucky when he had three catches for 63 yards. Today, he had thee catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Seeing Thornton Jr. have a career day like he did today is not only a sight of optimism for the rest of his season but a breath of fresh air for all of Vols Nation.

Dylan Sampson

Sampson seemingly picked up right where he left off last season. Against the Mocs, he had 12 totes for 153 yards and three touchdowns. In the second quarter, Sampson ripped off a 56-yard, Beast Mode-like run. With performances like this, Sampson will continue to be a catalyst for the Vols this season. 

The cheetah has been unleashed. Dylan Sampson (@dylans21527) has 124 yards and three touchdowns at the break. #Vols pic.twitter.com/Cgh7GnevPL

— Reece Van Haaften (@Reece_VH) August 31, 2024

Bru McCoy

Bru McCoy quickly became a fan favorite in 2022 and was an uber-reliable target for Hendon Hooker. In 2023, he had a great start to the year but had his future in football called into question after a gruesome injury against South Carolina prematurely ended his season. The worries about if McCoy would be back to his normal form were laid to rest today. He hauled in six receptions for 89 yards and had one carry for nine yards. The combination of McCoy and Thornton moving forward could be a major problem for defenses.

The Defense

As stated earlier, the defensive starters put on a show in the first half allowing only 94 yards and no points. They also contributed to one sack, five TFLs, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. This is a good sign going forward, as the defense has often been the “Achilles Heel” of the Vols in the Heupel Era. 

The “New Guys”

There were several first-time starters for the Vols today who made their presence known on the field. On the defensive side of the ball, talented freshman and former five-star recruit Jordan Ross had a punt block and scoop-and-score touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Freshman defensive back Boo Carter also made some impressive plays, including a huge hit stick tackle.

For offense, redshirt freshman Deshaun Bishop had an impressive day once Sampson checked out, totaling five carries for 60 yards, one touchdown, and one reception for 24 yards. Finally, redshirt freshman kicker Max Gilbert went 2/2 on field goals with a long of 47 and went 7/7 on extra points.

Overall the Vols looked extremely poised and ready for this game, as they won handedly over Chattanooga, 69-3. The team will look to ride the momentum from this record-breaking season opener into the rest of their season. 

The Vols are back in action next Saturday, September 7th against N.C. State at 7:30 pm EDT. The two teams will face for the annual Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium. 

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