Nico Iamaleava keeping himself accountable despite 56-0 Tennessee win

Not much went wrong for the Tennessee Volunteers as the game went on against UTEP, but a major concern for people was another slow start. Being tied 0-0 with UTEP at the end of the first quarter was unacceptable.

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava was a bit off his game early on, which included him missing a wide open deep touchdown on the very first play of the day. It was a 'gimme' throw for the star Vols quarterback, but it was another deep ball he couldn't connect on.

Despite that disappointing sequence, Nico was able to post strong numbers, finishing with 209 passing yards and four touchdowns. Thanks to the dominant showing, the Vols are 9-2 on the season and they have one foot in the door for the College Football Playoff. Despite that, Iamaleava still didn't hesitate in calling himself out a bit after the final whistle.

Nico Iamaleava showcased great maturity after the Tennessee win over UTEP

"The first play of the game, I missed a touchdown," he said via On3. "And really from a young age, I think I’ve just always been able to move on from certain plays. I really want that one back. It would have got the crowd hyped and stuff, but I missed that one. And then I really just try and focus on what the next play is and not not stuff like that affect how I play.” 

On one hand, Iamaleava was able to flush his bad throw and then stay focused the rest of the game. However, it was a miss he knows that cost his team and it can't be the case in bigger showdowns. It most certainly can't happen in what's expected to be a close game against Vanderbilt in the season finale.

With a win, Tennessee will be headed to the College Football Playoff. However, if the Commodores are able to post an upset, it will crush the CFP dreams for Josh Heupel and his players. This is something the Tennessee playmakers fully understand, which is why they'll be at their best in Nashville.