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Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols’ 31-14 Orange Bowl win vs. Clemson

By Caleb Calhoun

Dec 30, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III (7) and head coach Josh Heupel (left) look on after defeating the Clemson Tigers during the 2022 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III (7) and head coach Josh Heupel (left) look on after defeating the Clemson Tigers during the 2022 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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On the heels of their most successful regular season since 2003, a season that ended with a Peach Bowl loss to the Clemson Tigers, Tennessee football righted the ship this time. The Vols scored a huge Orange Bowl victory over that same Clemson program to clinch their most successful overall season since 2001.

UT, ranked No. 6 across the board, beat Clemson 31-14 in the Orange Bowl Friday. Clemson came in ranked No. 7 in the College Football Playoff, No. 10 in the AP Poll and No. 11 in the Coaches Poll. The Vols scored the first two touchdowns and never looked back.

With the win, Rocky Top finishes the season at 11-2. Clemson, meanwhile, finishes at 11-3, their second straight three-loss season suggesting the program may be on the decline. Here are five takeaways from Tennessee football’s first bowl win in three years.

Here are five things we learned from the Tennessee football Volunteers’ Orange Bowl victory over the Tigers.

Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel is seen on the sidelines during the Orange Bowl game between the Tennessee Vols and Clemson Tigers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. Tennessee defeated Clemson 31-14.Orangebowl1230 4160
Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel is seen on the sidelines during the Orange Bowl game between the Tennessee Vols and Clemson Tigers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. Tennessee defeated Clemson 31-14.Orangebowl1230 4160 /

5. Vols took fewer shots downfield.

It’s not like Josh Heupel didn’t still take shots. However, the soft zone coverage of Clemson, which clearly came out of a lack of faith in Joe Milton III to make the right passes, resulted in the Vols taking lots of underneath routes. It worked out still, as Milton was 19-of-28 for 251 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Meanwhile, Heupel ran the ball 38 times. In general, this was somewhat opposite of the style Heupel employed all year. It still worked out, as Rocky Top was able to come away with a dominating win, but it’s not the offense that everybody saw with Hendon Hooker.

To be fair, Milton hit a couple of deep shots to Ramel Keyton and Squirrel White. He took the first step in proving he could be that guy for Tennessee football going into next year with his accuracy, and he deserves a lot of credit for that. His receivers helped, and that leads to our next point on this post.

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