University of Tennessee Athletics
Five Things To Know: The Win Over Austin Peay
September 10, 2023 | Football
No. 9/9 Tennessee held its season home opener in an electric sold out environment at Neyland Stadium against Austin Peay on Sept. 9th that resulted in a 30-13 victory.
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The two programs met for the second time ever on Saturday evening with Tennessee moving its lead in the all-time series to 2-0. The last time the two teams played was in 2013 in Neyland Stadium which ended in a 45-0 Tennessee victory.Â
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Here are five things to know from Saturday's win:
1.Unleash the BeastÂ
Senior linebacker Aaron Beasley led the Vol defense with nine tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks. Beasley set a career-high of five tackles for loss and tied his current record of two sacks. His five tackles for loss were a career high and the most by a Vol in a single game since Jesse Mahelona also had five against Notre Dame on Nov. 6, 2004.
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Beasley was asked postgame if he knew how disruptive he was being with his five tackles for loss.
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"No, I really couldn't feel it," Beasley said. "I was just out there having fun with my guys. I was just out there having fun and playing ball. That's all I was really feeling."Â
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The defensive unit finished the game with 14 tackles for a loss which totaled 60 yards and seven sacks for 48 yards, both Heupel era highs. Saturday marked UT's second straight game with double-digit TFLs. Under the direction of defensive coordinator Tim Banks, the Vols have logged double-digit TFLs in eight games. The last time the Vols had 10-plus TFLs in consecutive games was when they finished with 10 against South Carolina (10/9/21) and 10 against Ole Miss (10/16/21) during the 2021 season.
2. A Tribute to Condredge
Tennessee debuted its new "Artful Dodger" Smokey Grey uniforms in the contest, paying homage to former signal caller Condredge Holloway who became the first Black player to start for an SEC program in 1972. Holloway's first start for the Vols came exactly 51 years prior to Saturday's contest on Sept. 9, 1972, at Georgia Tech. In partnership with Nike, Tennessee announced last year that it would wear a new Smokey Grey uniform design each season beginning in 2023 and continuing through at least 2025. The Vols improved to 5-1 all-time when wearing their Nike Smokey Grey alternates.
3. Noisy Neyland
Vol Nation did not disappoint, as they showed up and sold out a sellout crowd of 101,915 for the seventh consecutive game in Neyland Stadium. The streak dates back to Sept. 17, 2022 vs. Akron, it is the longest sellout streak at Neyland Stadium since UT sold out all seven home games of the 2006 regular season.
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"First of all, fans, unbelievable tonight," Heupel said. "With the delay at the beginning, their energy throughout the course of the game, I appreciate them. Our student body especially and the whole deal, so thank you to them."
4. Clutch Campbell
Redshirt senior kicker Charles Campbell was 3-for-3 on field goals for the night. Campbell nailed 22, 28 and 37-yard field goals. The last time Campbell made three field goals in a game was for Indiana against Illinois in 2022. Saturday was a long-awaited homecoming for Campbell after spending five years at Indiana University before returning home to Tennessee. He grew up an avid Vol fan living just west of Nashville always dreaming of becoming a Vol one day.
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Head Coach Josh Heupel spoke very highly of Charles Campbell after the victory.
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"He had a few more than we wanted him to get," said Heupel. "I love Charles. Really confident guy. It matters to him. This opportunity matters a great deal to him and his family. He's a great teammate, and a really confident guy. We're extremely confident in him too. Happy that he made a difference in the football game."
5. Dynamic Duo
Senior running back Jabari Small and junior running back Jaylen Wright were dominant in the backfield combining for over 200 rushing yards on Saturday. Wright rushed for 118 yards on the ground, while Small rushed for 95, totaling 213 yards between the two of them. The run game was very effective against the Governors with both players totaling 13 carries each. Wright added his second straight 100-yard rushing game for the first time in his career. His teammate Jabari Small did it in the final two games of the 2021 season against Vanderbilt (127 yds on 11/27/21) and Purdue (180 yds on 12/30/21).
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Tennessee travels to Gainesville, Fla. to kick off SEC play next Saturday, Sept. 16 vs. Florida. Kickoff against the Gators is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
