No. 7 Tennessee is back in Knoxville for a Saturday night contest against Kent State under the lights of Neyland Stadium.
Josh Heupel’s Vols have been one of the major positive storylines through the first two weeks of the season after jumping up eight spots in the AP poll in just two weeks. Tennessee’s offense looks capable of great numbers this season but it’s the Vols’ improvements on defense that really have fans and analysts buzzing.
Tennessee’s defense has yet to allow an opponent’s offense into the endzone through eight quarters of football this season. The Vols’ lone opposing touchdown of the season came on a pick-six from NC State last weekend in Charlotte. Tennessee’s defensive players take pride in that statistic, so look for them to continue building that wall against the Golden Flashes.
Speaking of the Golden Flashes, Kent State enters Saturday’s game as the last-ranked FBS in ESPN’s Football Power Index at No. 134. While Tennessee passed their first true test last weekend, this game should prove to be more of a tune-up akin to Chattanooga with Oklahoma on the horizon next weekend.
Look for Tennessee to build a lead with its starting unit before turning it over to rotational players and backups to close out a late night in Knoxville.
Tennessee Season Results:
Game 1: Chattanooga (3) @ No. 15 Tennessee (69)
Game 2: No. 14 Tennessee (51) vs No. 24 NC State (10)
Follow along with Rocky Top Insider’s live thread covering the scoring plays and big moments from the game on Saturday:
CURRENT SCORE: 4th Q – Tennessee 71, Kent State 0
Live tweets on X -> https://twitter.com/RockyTopInsider
More from RTI: Five-Star Tennessee Commit Visiting For Vols Matchup Against Kent State
Pregame
Inactive for Tennessee: RB Cam Seldon, LB Jordan Burns, LT Lance Heard, LEO Jordan Ross, LEO Caleb Herring, OG Masai Reddick
Tennessee has won the toss and will kick to start the game.
First Quarter
Kent State Drive 1: Punt
- 3 plays, 4 yards
Tennessee Drive 1: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 7, Kent State 0
- 7 plays, 73 yards
- 1Q, 11:33
- Dylan Sampson picks up his first touchdown of the game with a 22-yard run to the house
Kent State Drive 2: SAFETY – Vols 9, Kent State 0
- 3 plays, -25 yards
- Safety after a high snap sent the ball over the QB’s head and into the endzone
Tennessee Drive 2: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 16, Kent State 0
- 7 plays, 48 yards
- 1Q, 8:11
- Dylan Sampson punches in his second rushing touchdown of the night from one yard out
Kent State Drive 3: Punt
- 3 plays, 5 yards
Tennessee Drive 3: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 23, Kent State 0
- 3 plays, 51 yards
- 1Q, 5:56
- Nico Iamaleava connects with Chris Brazzell for the 53-yard touchdown catch
Kent State Drive 4: Punt
- 3 plays, -13 yards
Tennessee Drive 4: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 30, Kent State 0
- 1 play, 53 yards
- 1Q, 3:35
- Tennessee RB DeSean Bishop takes it 53 yards to the house
Kent State Drive: Tennessee recovers the on-side kickoff, Golden Flashes don’t get going
Tennessee Drive 5: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 37, Kent 0
- 8 plays, 48 yards
- 1Q, 0:02
- Dylan Sampson powers through his third rushing touchdown of the day from one yard out
-End of the First Quarter-
Second Quarter
Kent State Drive 5: Punt
- 3 plays, 7 yards
Tennessee Drive 6: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 44, Kent State 0
- 4 plays, 56 yards
- 2Q, 13:06
- Vols RB DeSean Bishop takes the rush 47 yards to the checkerboards
Kent State Drive 6: Punt
- 5 plays, 17 yards
Tennessee Drive 7: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 51, Kent State 0
- 7 plays, 54 yards
- 2Q, 7:50
- Dylan Sampson records his fourth rushing touchdown of the first half on the 14-yard score.
Kent State Drive 7: Punt
- 6 plays, 30 yards
Tennessee Drive 8: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 58, Kent State 0
- 6 plays, 80 yards
- 2Q, 3:06
- Quarterback Gaston Moore finds TE Miles Kitselman for the 15-yard passing touchdown
Kent State Drive 8: Punt
- 3 plays, 9 yards
Tennessee Drive 9: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – Vols 65, Kent State 0
- 6 plays, 48 yards
- 2Q, 0:19
- Gaston Moore connects with WR Mike Matthews for the 18-yard touchdown reception
Kent State Drive 9: End of Half
- 1 play, -1 yard
-End of the First Half in Knoxville-
Third Quarter
Tennessee Drive 10: TENNESSEE FIELD GOAL – Vols 68, Kent State 0
- Tennessee’s drive stalls out in the red zone but Max Gilbert is able to knock through a 38-yard field goal to give the Vols some points out of halftime.
Kent State Drive 10: Punt
- 8 plays, 26 yards
Fourth Quarter
Tennessee Drive 11: TENNESSE FIELD GOAL – Vols 71, Kent State 0
- 12 plays, 79 yards
- 4Q, 14:05
- Tennessee’s Max Gilbert knocks through the 21-yard field goal
Kent State Drive 11: Missed Field Goal Attempt
- 8 plays, 42 yards
- Kent State comes up short with the 51-yard attempt
Tennessee Drive 12:
