RECAP: Tennessee wallops Chattanooga, 69-3, in season opener

Tennessee eclipsed 700 yards of total offense for just the third time in school history and tied the mark for second in program history with 69 points, while the defense held Chattanooga to fewer than 250 yards in the overwhelming 69-3 Volunteer win.

Nico Iamaleava and the Tennessee offense started about as well as could be expected with the RS-FR quarterback hitting his first 10 passes before tossing an incompletion. He led the team to touchdowns on three of the first four drives with a Max Gilbert FG capping off a 24-0 first-quarter start.

Dylan Sampson capped off the first drive with a one-yard TD run after the Vols took the ball 65 yards in 11 plays, which ended up being the longest possession in terms of plays and time of possession (03:43) of the first half. Tyre West forced a fumble on the defense’s first drive of the season, and that gave Nico a short field to work with as the offense took over at the Moccasin 35-yard line. A four-yard pass from Iamaleava to fellow RS-FR Ethan Davis put the Vols up two scores with eight minutes and change remaining in the first quarter.

The defense allowed just 37 yards in the first quarter, while the offense continued to put on more steam. Iamaleava connected with Chris Brazzell for 23 yards and then threw a perfect ball to Dont’e Thornton for a 36-yard TD.

Nico hit Thornton again on the next drive for 57 yards, but Cam Seldon turned the wrong way on a third-down shovel pass and Max Gilbert hit his first career FG for Tennessee from 36 yards out to put Tennessee up 24-0.

UT put up three more scores in the second quarter — a second TD catch for Thornton from 10 yards out and TD runs No. 2 and 3 for Sampson in the game.

All in all, it was just about as ideal of a first half as Head Coach Josh Heupel could have asked for, with the offense putting up six TDs on eight possessions. Iamaleava finished his day 22-28 with 313 yards and three TDs, while Sampson eclipsed the century mark with 124 yards on 12 carries to go with his three scores.

Nico hit multiple receivers multiple times and had just the one drive before halftime in the two-minute drill that didn’t look smooth. He set the program record for passing yards in one half with 313.

Thornton started last season in the slot, wasn’t very effective, got moved to the outside, started looking like a factor but then had a season-ending injury against Missouri. Two of his three catches today went for TDs, which doubled his scoring output from last season.

Later in the game, the Vols got some of their younger players in, with several freshmen, including William Satterwhite and Jesse Perry getting some live-action snaps on the offensive line. Local product Desean Bishop had five carries for 60 yards and his first TD on a 22-yard scamper in the third quarter, while freshman RB Peyton Lewis also saw time in the fourth quarter.

Gaston Moore got hit for an interception in the fourth on a ball where RS-FR Nathan Leacock didn’t run through his route, and the Mocs got their just the second opportunity in the red zone, but the defense held stout and forced a missed FG.

Freshman QB Jake Merklinger and freshman RB Khalifa Keith led an 80-yard fourth quarter, touchdown-scoring drive. Merklinger hit all four of his passes for 45 yards while Keith had 10 rushes for 39 yards and the one-yard scoring run.

Tennessee finished 7-7 in red-zone scoring chances, and the defense ended with five tackles for loss, five pass breakups and five QB hurries.

Former five-star prospect and freshman EDGE Jordan Ross capped off the scoring with a blocked punt and the recovery for a 13-yard touchdown.

The Vols face an uptick in competition next week, as they travel to Charlotte to play 1-0 NC State.