Postgame Notes: #7/9 Tennessee 71, Kent State 0

TENNESSEE FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES
Sept. 14, 2024 | Knoxville, Tenn. | Neyland Stadium
FINAL SCORE: No. 7/9 Tennessee 71, Kent State 0

General Notes

Saturday's attendance at Neyland Stadium: 101,915 (sold out)
- The contest marked Tennessee's 15th consecutive sellout in Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee's all-time on-field record improved to 879-414-53 with Saturday's win (NCAA record: 868-414-53).
Josh Heupel won his 30th game as head coach of the Vols. Heupel is the quickest Vol coach to reach 30 wins (42 games) since Phillip Fulmer did in his 38th game on Nov. 18, 1995, at Kentucky (34-31). He is the fifth-quickest Vol coach in history to reach the milestone, behind Gen. Robert Neyland (33 games), Bill Battle (35 games), John Barnhill (37 games) and Fulmer (38 games).
- A total of 24 of Heupel's 30 victories have been of the double-digit variety.
Tennessee improved to 4-0 under Heupel against Mid-American Conference opponents. Combined with victories over Bowling Green (38-6), Ball State (59-10) and Akron (63-6), the Vols have outscored MAC foes 231-22 in the Heupel era.
In the Heupel era, Tennessee owns a 20-4 record in Neyland Stadium. The Vols have won seven straight night games in their home venue.
Tennessee secured its 13th consecutive victory over a non-conference opponent, representing its longest streak against non-SEC foes since winning 27 straight from 1969-73.
- Since 2021, the Vols are 16-2 in non-conference play under Heupel. Tennessee has outscored non-SEC foes 894-246 during that stretch.
In the first quarter, during which Tennessee outscored Kent State by a 37-0 margin, the Volunteers totaled 283 yards of offense, while the Golden Flashes had -22 yards. Tennessee had a 305-yard edge in offensive yards through 15 minutes.
- At halftime, Tennessee held a 541-23 yardage edge, good for a plus-518 margin.
This is the seventh time in Heupel's four seasons the Volunteers have totaled 60-plus points in a game, including the second time already in 2024.
Tennessee has outscored its opponents 191-13 through the first three games of the 2024 campaign. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the +178 point differential through three games is the largest in SEC history and second-most by any FBS team in the AP Poll era (since 1936).
The Vols have scored 50-plus points in the first three games of a season for the second time in school history and first since 1913. Tennessee joined 2018 Alabama as the only SEC programs to accomplish the feat in the AP Poll era.

Tennessee Debuts

Five players made their Tennessee debuts during Saturday's contest against Kent State.
- WR Braylon Harmon
- WR Malcolm Kinzer
- WR Mike Matthews
- WR Braylon Staley
- LB Edwin Spillman

Vol Captains/Coin Toss

Tennessee's team captains for Saturday's game: LB Arion Carter, OL Dayne Davis, LS Matthew Salansky, LB Jeremiah Telander
Tennessee won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. Kent State received the opening kickoff and Tennessee defended the south end zone.

Team Offensive Notes

Tennessee's 71 points set a school record for the modern era (since 1937), eclipsing the prior top mark of 70 on Sept. 23, 2000.
- Including games before the modern era, this is the 11th time the Volunteers have ever scored 70-plus points in a game and the first since tallying 73 on Nov. 9, 1929, versus Carson-Newman, four years before Tennessee joined the SEC. The 71 points ranks 10th on the program's all-time list, regardless of era.
- The last time an SEC team scored 70-plus points in regulation against an FBS opponent was Sept. 12, 2015, when Ole Miss registered 73 versus Fresno State.
The Volunteers won by 70-plus points for the 10th time in program history, including the first in the modern era (since 1937).
Tennessee amassed 740 total yards to set a school record, eclipsing the prior top mark of 724 against Missouri on Nov. 12, 2022.
- This is the second time in three outings in 2024 the Volunteers have posted 700-plus yards after previously doing so twice all-time. Tennessee had 718 yards, tied for its second-most ever, in its opener against Chattanooga on Aug. 31.
- Four of the top five yardage marks in Tennessee history are in the last three seasons under the direction of Josh Heupel. In addition to the three aforementioned games, the Volunteers notched 696 yards versus UT Martin on Oct. 22, 2022.
- The 740 yards by Tennessee tied for the 10th-most in SEC history and for the fifth-highest such mark against an FBS foe.
The Vols finished Saturday's game with 456 rushing yards as a team, the 26th game of the Josh Heupel era producing 200-plus yards on the ground. Tennessee owns a 24-2 record in those contests, including 18 wins in a row when reaching that mark.
- The 456 rushing yards marked the seventh time Tennessee has hit 400-plus, placing fifth on the program's all-time list.
- The last time the Volunteers rushed for 400-plus yards was Oct. 2, 2021, at Missouri when they amassed 458 on the ground.
Tennessee led 37-0 after one quarter of play, setting a new program record for points in a period in the modern era (since 1937). The prior record was 35 in the first quarter against Arkansas on Nov. 11, 2000.
The Volunteers took a 65-0 lead into the halftime break to set a new school modern era (since 1937) record for points in a half. The prior mark, also under Josh Heupel, was 52 on Oct. 22, 2022, in the first half versus UT Martin.
- Previously, the record in said era for points in a half against an FBS team was 49 before the intermission against UL Monroe on Sept. 23, 2000.
- Per SEC Network, Tennessee's 65 first-half points marked the most in a half by any team in at least the last 20 seasons.
- Tennessee finished 11 points shy of the FBS record for points in a half. The all-time mark is 76 by Houston on Nov. 23, 1968, versus Tulsa.
Tennessee notched three scoring plays of 45-plus yards: a 53-yard reception by WR Chris Brazzell II, a 53-yard rush by RB DeSean Bishop and a 47-yard rush by Bishop.

Individual Offensive Notes

Junior RB Dylan Sampson put up a historic first half on the ground, scoring four rushing touchdowns while carrying the ball 13 times for 101 yards. It marked his fourth straight game with more than 100 yards and third straight contest with multiple rushing scores.
- Sampson's four rushing TDs tied the single-game school record for the modern era (since 1937) with six other players, most recently John Kelly who had four rushing TDs vs. Georgia Tech on Sept. 4, 2017 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
- Sampson was the first Vol to accomplish the feat in a single half in the modern era. Prior to the modern era, Gene McEver had four rushing scores in the second half against South Carolina in 1929.
- Sampson is the first Tennessee player with multiple rushing touchdowns in three straight contests since Alvin Kamara accomplished the feat in 2016 (two vs. Kentucky on Nov. 16; two vs. Missouri on Nov. 19; two vs. Vanderbilt on Nov. 26).
- Sampson is the first Tennessee running back with four consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Arian Foster had five-straight in 2005.
Redshirt freshman RB DeSean Bishop marked his first career 100-yard game, finishing the night with seven carries for a game-high 120 yards and two touchdowns.
- His touchdowns both came in the first half with a pair of explosive runs, dashing 53 a career-best 53 yards to the checkerboards in the first quarter before notching a 47-yard score in the second stanza.
Redshirt sophomore WR Chris Brazzell II hauled in his first touchdown as a Vol with 5:56 left in the first quarter with a career-long 53-yard reception from Nico Iamaleava. It was Tennessee's third play of more than 50 yards this season.
Tennessee had two 100-yard rushers in the first half alone, as RB DeSean Bishop totaled 120 yards on seven carries and RB Dylan Sampson had 101 yards on 13 attempts. Neither recorded a carry in the second half.
- The Volunteers finished just shy of having three 100-yard rushers, as RB Peyton Lewis ended the night with 99 yards on 10 carries.
- It marked the first game that UT had two 100-yard rushers in a single game since Sampson (131) and Jaylen Wright (160) eclipsed the century mark at Vanderbilt on Nov. 26, 2022.
WR Mike Matthews totaled two catches for 35 yards in his Tennessee debut. He scored Tennessee's ninth and final touchdown of the game with 19 seconds left in the first half.
QB Gaston Moore connected with TE Miles Kitselman on a 15-yard completion for his first-career passing touchdown before delivering a second scoring strike to Matthews on an 18-yard completion.
- Kitselman's receiving touchdown was the fourth by a Tennessee tight end this season. Vol tight ends have scored at least one touchdown in five consecutive games dating back to the 2023 regular season finale vs. Vanderbilt.

Team Defensive Notes

Tennessee has now gone 16 consecutive quarters–four full games–without allowing an offensive touchdown. This is the second time during that stretch the Volunteers did not concede a point.
- The 16-quarter streak without allowing an offensive touchdown is the longest for Tennessee since also keeping its opponent out the end zone in 18 consecutive quarters across five games in 1965-66 - from the second quarter of the 1965 Bluebonnet Bowl vs. Houston to the third quarter of a Week 4 contest vs. Alabama on Oct. 15, 1966.
- The four-game streak without allowing an offensive touchdown is the longest for Tennessee since shutting out 15-straight opponents from Nov. 5, 1938 to Dec. 9, 1939.
For the second consecutive week, Tennessee held its opponent to the lowest yardage total of the Josh Heupel era, as Kent State finished with just 112 (58 passing, 54 rushing).
- The prior low mark of 143 was set just one week ago when NC State amassed 143 yards (104 passing, 39 rushing) in Charlotte, N.C.
With 10:35 to go in the first quarter, Tennessee recorded its first safety since Nov. 20, 2021, against South Alabama.
The Volunteers did not concede a first down until 12:12 remained in the second quarter.
Kent State totaled -45 rushing yards against Tennessee in the first quarter and its total sat at -17 through a full half.
Twenty-seven Volunteers recorded a tackle in the win, with 14 posting exactly one.

Individual Defensive Notes

DB Edrees Farooq doubled his career high in tackles with a team-best six, two more than any other Volunteer.
DB Will Brooks recorded the second TFL of his career, while LB Ryan Scott had the first TFL of his career.
DL James Pearce Jr., collected a team-best three quarterback hurries in the victory.
DL Kellen Lindstrom recorded the first four tackles of his career, tying for the second-most among Volunteers in the win.
LB Eli Purcell recorded multiple tackles for the first time as a Volunteer.

Special Teams Notes

PK Max Gilbert connected on all nine of his extra-point attempts and both of his field-goal tries in the contest.
- Gilbert made field goals of 36 and 21 yards, in the third and fourth quarter, respectively.
Four Volunteers combined for 106 punt return yards on five attempts, good for an average of 21.0 yards per return.
- DB Boo Carter led the way with two returns for 55 yards, including a long of 35 yards.

Career Highs

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

Offense

RB Hunter Barnes
- 7 carries
- 38 rushing yards
- 14-yard rush (longest rush)
WR Chris Brazzell II
- 53-yard reception (longest reception)
RB DeSean Bishop
- 2 rushing touchdowns
- 120 rushing yards
- 53-yard rush (longest rush)
TE Miles Kitselman
- 1 touchdown (ties career high)
RB Peyton Lewis
- 10 carries
- 99 rushing yards
- 35-yard rush (longest rush)
QB Jake Merklinger
- 5 passing attempts
QB Gaston Moore
- 2 touchdowns
- 94 passing yards
- 53 passing yards (longest career pass)
- 15 rushing yards (longest rush)
WR Mike Matthews
- 2 receptions
- 25 receiving yards
RB Dylan Sampson
- 4 rushing touchdowns
WR Patrick Wilk
- 3 receptions
- 35 receiving yards
- 1 receiving touchdown

Defense/Special Teams

DB Will Brooks
- 1 TFL (ties career high)
DL Bryson Eason
- 1 pass defended (ties career high)
DB Edrees Farooq
- 6 tackles
LB Ryan Scott
- 1 TFL
DL Kellen Lindstrom
- 4 tackles
DB Jordan Matthews
- 2 tackles
DL Jamal Wallace
- 2 tackles

University of Tennessee Athletics

Players Mentioned

Hunter Barnes

DeSean Bishop

Chris Brazzell II

Will Brooks

Arion Carter

Boo Carter

Dayne Davis

Bryson Eason

Edrees Farooq

Max Gilbert

Braylon Harmon

Nico Iamaleava

Malcolm Kinzer

Miles Kitselman

Peyton Lewis

Kellen Lindstrom

Jordan Matthews

Mike Matthews

Jake Merklinger

Gaston Moore

James Pearce Jr.

Eli Purcell

Matthew Salansky

Dylan Sampson

Ryan Scott

Edwin Spillman

Braylon Staley

Jeremiah Telander

Jamal Wallace

Patrick Wilk

Jaylen Wright

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