KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 21/20/23 Tennessee’s defense allowed only 27 rushing yards, and six different Vols found the end zone in handling New Mexico State, 42-9, at Neyland Stadium on Saturday night in the Vols’ 101st Homecoming game.
Playing for the first time in their “Volunteer Spirit” Smokey Grey uniforms, which pay tribute to the United States Armed Forces, UT (7-3, 3-3 SEC) scored on three of its first four possessions and never looked back. The Aggies (3-7, 1-5 CUSA) attempted 30 rushes, managing only 0.9 yards per carry. The last time Tennessee allowed fewer than one yard per carry was on Nov. 22, 2008, when it held Vanderbilt to 25 yards on 28 carries.
The Big Orange got rushing touchdowns from four players, including leading rusher DeSean Bishop (16-80, 1 TD), one receiving from Braylon Staley (5-58, 1 TD) and one on an interception return by William Wright. Defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs paced his unit with a career-best nine stops, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.
Set up by a 45-yard connection between quarterback Joey Aguilar and wide receiver Chris Brazzell down to the one, Bishop finished the game’s second drive on the next play to put the Vols up 7-0 with 7:54 left in the first frame. After a Ty Redmond interception and return to the New Mexico State 36, UT was set up very quickly for another score. A 27-yard touchdown run by Aguilar at the 5:43 mark capitalized on that pick and helped the Big Orange close out the first quarter with a 14-0 advantage.
Tennessee struck again at the outset of the second period. A 15-yard dart from Aguilar to Staley capped a 99-yard drive and increased the gap to 21-0 with 11:24 remaining. New Mexico State, though, trimmed the margin to 21-3 with a 32-yard field goal by David Barker with 1:25 to go in the first half.
UT running backs Star Thomas and Peyton Lewis found the end zone in the third quarter from 21 yards and one yard, respectively, building the cushion to 35-3. Moments after the Lewis score, defensive lineman Tyre West tipped an Adam Damante pass, Wright snared it out of the air and raced 35 yards to the checkerboard to make it 42-3 with 1:24 left in the period.
The Aggies finally hit pay-dirt in the fourth stanza, getting a one-yard run from Isaiah Rudison to whittle the deficit to 42-9 and notch the game’s final scoring play.
UP NEXT
The Volunteers will hit the road next weekend, as they travel to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators on Saturday. Kick time is 7:30 p.m. ET live on ABC.
