Tennessee Vols Assure Best Season Since 2007 With Win Over Vanderbilt

The Tennessee Volunteers football team beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 53-28 to finish the regular season 8-4. It’s the best season for the Vols since 2007.

Jalen Hurd had 120 rushing yards and a touchdown, Alvin Kamara had 99 rushing yards and 52 receiving yards, and Joshua Dobbs rushed for 93 yards and threw for another 140 while putting up three total touchdowns as the Vols throttled the Commodores 53-28.

With his rushing yards, Dobbs went over 600 yards on the year to set the single-season rushing record for Tennessee quarterbacks, breaking Jimmy Streater’s record in 1978. He also went over 2,100 passing yards on the year.

The Vols totaled more than 300 yards on the ground as they closed out the regular season 8-4 with their fourth 50-plus point performance on the year.

Butch Jones’s team never took their foot off the gas against Vanderbilt, jumping out to a 7-0 lead on the opening drive off of a 17-yard pass from Dobbs to Von Pearson.

An Aaron Medley field goal made it 10-0, but then Vanderbilt made a half of it, cutting the game to 10-7 on a touchdown set up by a 50-yard Ralph Webb touchdown run.

After Dobbs made it 17-7 on a six-yard run, Vanderbilt cut it to 17-14 thanks to two great passes from Kyle Shurmur on that drive.

But that was as close as they would get.

Another Medley field goal made it 20-14, then Cameron Sutton returned a punt for a touchdown to make it 27-14. Vanderbilt had a chance to threaten at the end of the half, but Shurmur threw an interception inside the 10-yard line.

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Tennessee was stopped on a goal-line fourth down play on the first drive of the second half, but Derek Barnett picked up a sack that resulted in a safety on the next drive.

That was when the Vols broke the game open, reeling off four straight scoring drives, including three touchdowns and a field goal.

On the final touchdown drive, Quinten Dormady was inserted into the starting lineup. He completed two passes for 52 yards and set up a Joe Young touchdown run.

Next: Dobbs Sets UT Rushing Record With Amazing Run

Hurd also had four receptions for 35 yards on the game.

Unfortunately, the defense had some issues, giving up more than 200 yards through the air and three touchdowns against what should be a terrible passing offense.

But a win is a win, and the Vols moved to 8-4, so no complaints here.