Postgame Notes: #17 Tennessee 59, UConn 3

November 04, 2023 | Football

TENNESSEE FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES
Nov. 4, 2023 | Knoxville, Tenn. | Neyland Stadium
FINAL SCORE: No. 17 Tennessee 59, UConn 3

General Notes

Saturday's attendance at Neyland Stadium: 101,915
- Saturday's crowd marked the 11th consecutive sellout in Neyland Stadium, a streak that dates back to Sept. 17, 2022 vs. Akron.
- The Vols are one of five FBS teams to play in front of a sellout crowd in every game this season, joining Colorado, Georgia, Iowa and Notre Dame.
Tennessee's all-time on-field record improved to 874-412-53 with Saturday's win (NCAA record: 863-412-53).
Saturday marked the first meeting between Tennessee and UConn on the gridiron.
The contest was Tennessee's 99th Homecoming game. Tennessee improved to 76-20-3 on the field for Homecoming and has won eight of its last nine Homecoming games.
- The Vols have won 11 straight Homecoming contests when facing a non-conference foe.
- Josh Heupel owns a 2-1 record in Homecoming games at Tennessee.
Tennessee donned Summitt Blue accessories for Saturday's game on Homecoming for the second straight season.
- The Vols are 2-0 when wearing Summitt Blue accessories, outscoring opponents by 97 points, 124-27, and notching 59-plus points each time.
The Vols improved to 17-3 at home under Josh Heupel, outscoring opponents 903-389, an average margin of 25.7 points per game. Tennessee has won 14 consecutive games in Neyland Stadium, a streak that dates to Nov. 20, 2021 vs. South Alabama.
- Tennessee's 14-game home winning streak is its longest since winning 23 straight in Neyland Stadium from 1996-2000.
- It's the third longest streak in the country behind Georgia (23) and Michigan (20).
With Saturday's win, Tennessee secured a perfect non-conference regular season record for the second straight season for the first time since 2016-17.
- UT has won all four of its non-SEC games this season by at least 17 points.
- UT has won nine non-conference games in a row and improved to 12-2 against non-conference opponents under Josh Heupel.
Tennessee led UConn 14-3 at the end of the first quarter. The Vols have outscored opponents 420-152 in the first quarter under Josh Heupel, including 89-29 this season.
- In their last three games, the Vols have outscored opponents 37-3 in the opening stanza (at Alabama 13-0, at Kentucky 10-0, UConn 14-3).
The Volunteers now have four wins by 56-plus points in Josh Heupel's three seasons after recording one such victory in the prior 11 years (2010-20) and three in the previous 24 years (1997-2020).

Vol Captains/Coin Toss

Tennessee's team captains for Saturday's game: LB Aaron Beasley, PK Charles Campbell, LS Matthew Salansky, RB Jaylen Wright.
UConn won the toss, elected to defer to the second half and defended the south end zone. Tennessee received the opening kickoff.

Tennessee Debuts

Eleven Vols made their Tennessee career debuts: LB Mekhi Bigelow, TE Cody Duncan, DL Trevor Duncan, WR Jack Henry Jakobik, OL Gus Hill, WR Nathan Leacock, WR Jackson Locke, WR Nathan Roberts, TE Titus Rohrer, WR Trey Weary, WR Garrett Young.
Five Big Orange members made their season debuts: RB Hunter Barnes, OL Braeden Krivosh, OL Connor Meadows, QB Navy Shuler, RB Patrick Wilk.

Team Offensive Notes

Tennessee scored a season-high 59 points on Saturday, its first 50-point scoring output of the season. In Josh Heupel's 70 games as a head coach, his teams have scored 50 points 20 times (10 times at Tennessee).
- His teams have scored 40 points 39 times (19 times at Tennessee)
- His teams have scored 30 points 60 times (27 times at Tennessee) and own a 52-8 record when doing so.
The Vols finished Saturday's game with a season-high 650 yards of total offense (375 passing, 275 rushing).
- It was UT's sixth game under Heupel with more than 600 total yards.
- It was UT's sixth game under Heupel with at least 375 passing yards.
- It was UT's eighth game under Heupel with at least 275 rushing yards.
- Heupel's teams have put up 600 yards of total offense 18 times (six times at Tennessee).
- His teams have put up 500 yards of total offense 35 times (14 times at Tennessee).
- His teams have put up 400 yards of total offense 62 times (28 times at Tennessee).
The Vols scored a touchdown on their second play from scrimmage (RB Jaylen Wright 82-yard run). Tennessee has now scored a touchdown on its opening drive in seven of nine games this season with the Austin Peay and Texas A&M games being the only exceptions.
Tennessee tallied three offensive plays of 60-plus yards in the win after entering the game with one 60-yard play for the entire season.
The Vols averaged 10.0 yards per play (650 total yards in 65 plays), topping the previous Heupel-era high of 9.8 set at Kentucky on Nov. 6, 2021.

Individual Offensive Notes

QB Joe Milton III finished Saturday's games completing 11-of-14 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. The redshirt senior has a touchdown pass in 13 straight games, tying Tony Robinson (1984-85) for the third-longest streak in Tennessee history.
- Milton added a 6-yard rushing touchdown with 7:25 to go in the second quarter. He has now rushed for and passed for a touchdown in the same game four times this season and five times as a Vol.
- His touchdown passes went for 60 and 83 yards to Ramel Keyton and Squirrel White, respectively, representing the two longest pass plays for Tennessee this season.
RB Jaylen Wright posted his sixth 100-yard rushing performance of the season, finishing Saturday's game with 113 yards on 8 carries (14.1 avg).
- Wright's 82-yard touchdown run in the first quarter tied for the ninth-longest rush in school history and is solely the ninth-longest touchdown carry ever by a Vol.
- Wright–who had an 83-yard touchdown run on Nov. 26, 2022, at Vanderbilt–is the second player in program history with multiple 80-yard carries, joining LaMarcus Coker, who did so twice in 2006, with one also at Vanderbilt.
- Wright joined teammate Jabari Small as the second Vol to eclipse 2,000 career rushing yards this season. With 113 yards on Saturday, Wright's career tally stands at 2,110 and ranks 15th in Tennessee history.
- Wright logged 100-plus rushing yards for the sixth time this season, tying him for the sixth-most such outings by a Vol in a single campaign and marking the most since Jalen Hurd had six in 2015.
- Wright now owns eight 100-yard rushing performances in his career, making him one of just 16 Vols to ever hit that mark and the first since Hurd, who logged 11 from 2014-16.
QB Joe Milton III's 83-yard touchdown throw to WR Squirrel White marked the seventh-longest passing play in school history and the longest for the Vols since 2006 (Erik Ainge to Robert Meachem, 84 yards, at Memphis, Sept. 30, 2006).
- It is also the 19th 80-yard pass play ever (18th for a touchdown) for the Vols and first since 2011 (Tyler Bray to Justin Hunter, 81 yards, vs. Montana, Sept. 3, 2011).
- Milton is the 11th quarterback in program history with an 80-yard pass and the 10th with an 80-yard passing touchdown.
With RB Jaylen Wright's 82-yard touchdown run and WR Squirrel White's 83-yard receiving touchdown, it was the first time the Vols had an 80-yard rush and an 80-yard reception during the same game.
- It was the second time in Tennessee history that the Volunteer offense recorded two plays of 80-plus yards in the same game. Both occurred during head coach Josh Heupel's tenure, as UT had rushes of 83 and 80 yards against Vanderbilt last year on Nov. 26, 2022.
- In total, the Big Orange boasts five offensive plays of 80-plus yards during Heupel's three seasons.
WR Squirrel White eclipsed 1,000 career receiving yards on Saturday, posting two catches for 94 yards against the Huskies. The sophomore now owns 1,037 receiving yards for his career.
WR Ramel Keyton hauled in a career-long 60-yard touchdown catch from Milton with 1:38 remaining in the first quarter. It was Tennessee's second-longest pass play of the season.

Team Defensive Notes

Tennessee scored a trio of defensive touchdowns on Saturday with a 24-yard scoop-and-score (DE Tyler Baron), a 30-yard pick six (DB Jaylen McCollough) and a 39-yard pick six (LB Aaron Beasley).
- Saturday's game represents the first time since at least 1949 that UT has posted three defensive touchdowns in a single game (box scores go back to 1949).
- It's the first time since Dec. 4, 1971 vs. Penn State that Tennessee has posted both a pick-six and a scoop-and-score in the same game.
- It's the first time since Sept. 7, 2013 vs. Western Kentucky that Tennessee returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game and the fourth time it has done so this century.
The Vols racked up 13.0 tackles for loss in the victory, representing UT's third game this season with double-digit TFLs.
- Against non-conference foes, the Vols are averaging 11.25 TFLs per game.

Individual Defensive Notes

With 3:30 left in the first half, DB Gabe Jeudy-Lally logged his first career forced fumble, which was scooped up by DE Tyler Baron for his first career fumble recovery and returned 24 yards for a touchdown.
- It was Tennessee's first fumble recovery touchdown since Oct. 10, 2020 vs. Georgia (Kivon Bennett recovered in the end zone).
DB Jaylen McCollough nabbed his second interception of the season and fifth of his career, returning it 30 yards to the checkerboards for his first career pick-six.
After McCollough's pick six early in the second half, LB Aaron Beasley thwarted UConn's next series with a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown with 11:51 to go in the third quarter. It was the first interception and pick six of Beasley's career.

Special Teams Notes

PK Josh Turbyville kicked the Volunteers' lone field goal and, with 8:02 left in the game, connected from 33 yards on the first attempt of his career. He also made the first PAT of his career with 7:30 remaining in the third quarter.
PK Charles Campbell equaled his career-best with seven made PATs, tying his mark set in the season opener vs. Virginia.

Career Highs

The following players set or tied career highs in the respective statistical categories listed below:

Offense

RB Hunter Barnes
- 4 rushing attempts (first of career)
- 17 rushing yards (first of career)
TE Charlie Browder
- 2 receptions (first of career)
- 10 receiving yards (first of career)
- 8-yard long reception
TE McCallan Castles
- 4 receptions
- 56 receiving yards
- 1 receiving touchdown (ties career-high)
TE Ethan Davis
- 2 receptions (first of career)
- 33 receiving yards (first of career)
- 19-yard long reception
QB Nico Iamaleava
- 5 pass completions
- 9 pass attempts
- 86 passing yards
- 1 passing TD (first of career)
- 28-yard long pass
- 1 rushing attempt (ties career-high)
- 25 rushing yards
RB Khalifa Keith
- 3 rushing attempts
WR Ramel Keyton
- 60-yard long reception
- 81 receiving yards
QB Gaston Moore
- 4 pass completions
- 7 pass attempts
- 36 passing yards
- 19-yard long pass
WR Nathan Roberts
- 1 reception (first of career)
RB Cameron Seldon
- 6 rushing attempts
- 35 rushing yards
- 11-yard long rush
QB Navy Shuler
- 1 pass completion (first of career)
- 2 rushing attempts
- 15 rushing yards
WR Dayton Sneed
- 1 reception (first of career)
- 7 receiving yards (first of career)
- 7-yard long reception
WR Kaleb Webb
- 28-yard long reception
WR Squirrel White
- 83-yard long reception (career-high)
WR Dee Williams
- 1 reception (first of career)
- 11 receiving yards (first of career)

Defense/Special Teams

DL Tyler Baron
- 1 fumble recovery (first of career)
LB Aaron Beasley
- 1 interception (first of career)
DB Will Brooks
- 2 tackles (ties career-high)
- 1 pass breakup (first of career)
PK Charles Campbell
- 7 made PATs (ties career-high)
DL Bryson Eason
- 1 pass breakup (first of career)
DL Kurott Garland
- 1 QB hurry (first of career)
DL Rickey Gibson III
- 4 tackles
- 1.0 TFL (first of career)
LB Elijah Herring
- 8 tackles (ties career-high)
DL Daevin Hobbs
- 0.5 TFL (first of career)
DB Gabe Jeudy-Lally
- 1 forced fumble (first of career)
- 1.0 TFL (ties career-high)
DB Jaylen McCollough
- 1 interception (ties career-high)
DL Elijah Simmons
- 1 TFL (ties career-high)
- 1 PBU (ties career-high)
DB Doneiko Slaughter
- 1 TFL (ties career-high)
DB Jourdan Thomas
- 1 TFL (first of career)
LB Jeremiah Telander
- 1 TFL (first of career)
DB Andrew Turrentine
- 4 tackles (ties career-high)
- 1.5 TFLs (first of career)
PK Josh Turbyville
- 1 made field goal (first of career)
- 1 made PAT (first of career)