Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson broks the Vols’ single-season program record for rushing touchdowns on Saturday night against Kentucky, rushing for a pair of scores against the Wildcats.
Sampson’s seven-yard touchdown run in the third quarter against Kentucky marked his 18th of the season, tying Gene McEver’s record from 1929. He broke it in the fourth quarter when his offensive line helped push him in from three yards out.
The first touchdown gave Tennessee a 14-10 lead, its first of the night against the Wildcats. Sampson’s second touchdown came with just under five minutes remaining and gave the Vols a 28-18 lead, helping ice the victory.
Tennessee’s junior running back is having an incredible season, rushing for 980 yards in the first eight games of the season.
The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native has rushed for 100 yards in all but one Tennessee game this season and got off to an incredible start to the season from a touchdown standpoint, rushing for three touchdowns against Chattanooga, two touchdowns against NC State and four touchdowns against Kent State.
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It felt inevitable that Sampson’s pace would slow down following that start and it did but not by a crazy amount. Sampson’s scored two-plus touchdowns in every game besides the Oklahoma game including five total touchdowns against Florida and Alabama.
Sampson has been by far the best player in a Tennessee offense that’s struggled for a large part of the season. In fact, Sampson’s 19 touchdowns is more than the rest of the Vols’ offense combined (17).
The Tennessee star running back is now at 32 career rushing touchdowns which ties him third all time in program history with Josh Dobbs (32) and behind James Stewart (35) and Gene McEver (37).
Sampson totaled 100-plus yards against Kentucky, tying him for the most 100-yard rushing games in a single season in Tennessee football history. Sampson would be tied with Travis Stephens, Travis Henry, Jamal Lewis and Chuck Webb at seven but still well behind Jay Graham’s 11 rushing touchdowns in the 1995 season.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider all night for complete coverage of Tennessee football’s SEC matchup against Kentucky at Neyland Stadium.
