Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III is the 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player after using the best performance of his career to beat No. 7 Clemson, 31-14, in Miami.
Making his fourth start of his Tennessee career and second of the 2022 season, Milton slung the ball around Hard Rock Stadium. Milton completed 19-of-28 passes for 251 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the win.
“Joe and the offense found a way to make a bunch of big plays and find the end zone,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. “Great night for Tennessee.”
The superbly talented quarterback showed off his massive arm in long completions to Squirrel White and Ramel Keyton. Even more impressive was the way he surveyed defenses and made throws in the intermediate.
Milton looked off the safety before throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to Bru McCoy and a 14-yard touchdown pass to Squirrel White.
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Tennessee struggled on third downs, converting just three-of-13 attempts. However, Milton climbed the pocket, scanned through reads and fired a bullet to Ramel Keyton for a third-and-eight first down. The next play, Keyton got behind the Clemson defense and hauled in 1a 46 yard touchdown to give the Vols a two-touchdown fourth quarter lead.
Milton only tallied five rushing yards but did avoid pressure a handful of times to extend plays.
Beside him as he did it all, was his best friend and injured Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker.
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) December 31, 2022
Milton finishing the 2022 season with a strong performance all but guarantees he will be Tennessee’s starting quarterback when the Vols kick off the 2023 season against Virginia at Nissan Stadium. But Friday was about the 2022 Tennessee football team and Milton’s performance helped write a phenomenal final chapter to its story.
Doing it just 80 miles from his hometown Pahokee, Florida makes it all the sweeter for Milton.
“It feels great,” Milton said of winning MVP close to home. “I’ve pretty much been talking about it for the whole month. Ever since we figured out we were coming down here. It was a statement game for Tennessee as a team. Also a statement game for me playing close to home.”
The senior quarterback is the 2022 Orange Bowl MVP.
