How It Happened: Tennessee beats Virginia 49-13 in Nashville to open the season

NASHVILLE — Tennessee football opened the 2023 regular-season schedule with a win over Virginia in front of a Nissan Stadium-record crowd of 69,507 in Nashville on Saturday. Here’s how it happened:

First Quarter

Tennessee 7, Virginia 0 (12:05, 1st Quarter): The Vols got the football to start the game and went on an eight-play, 62-yard touchdown drive taking 2:47 off the clock. Tennessee went for it on fourth-and-five at the Virginia 9-yard line and Joe Milton III threw left to sophomore running back Dylan Sampson, who won the race to the front pylon for the touchdown.

Tennessee 7, Virginia 0 (9:58, 1st Quarter): The second fourth-down gamble for the Vols didn’t pay off. After forcing a Virginia three-and-out after the touchdown on the opening drive, Tennessee was stuffed on fourth-and-1 at its own 29-yard line. UVa picked up one first down, driving down the the Tennessee 11, but Will Bettridge missed a 28-yard field goal attempt wide right.

Tennessee 7, Virginia 0 (End of 1st Quarter): Joe Milton III had Ramel Keyton wide open down the field and put the pass on his hands, but Keyton dropped it. The drive later ended with a Jackson Ross punt that covered only 17 yards. Ross had a 44-yard punt late in the first quarter and Dee Williams fumbled a punt return on the final play of the quarter, giving Virginia the ball back at its own 31-yard line.

Second Quarter

Tennessee 14, Virginia 0 (4:41, 2nd Quarter): Dylan Sampson ran three yards up the middle for his second touchdown of the day, doubling Tennessee’s lead and capping 13-play, 90-yard touchdown drive. Joe Milton III found Ramel Keyton for a 41-yard gain on the biggest play of the possession. Milton then hit Bru McCoy in the end zone for what looked like a 32-yard touchdown, but he was ruled out of bounds. Either way, Sampson was back in the end zone for his second touchdown seven plays later. Jabari Small ran for two yards and fourth-and-2 to extend the touchdown drive.

Tennessee 14, Virginia 3 (1:42): Virginia got on the scoreboard with a 30-yard field goal from Will Bettridge, capping a six-play, 52-yard scoring drive covering two minutes, 59 seconds. Virginia quarterback Tony Muskett kickstarted the drive with a 30-yard completing to Malachi Fields on first down, after Tennessee’s Josh Turbyville kicked out of bounds. Muskett then threw for 17 yards to Malik Washington to move Virginia down to the Tennessee 18-yard line. 

Tennessee 21, Virginia 3 (0:15, 2nd Quarter): Tennessee made it back-to-back touchdown drives to close the first half. This time the Vols went 75 yards on nine plays, with Joe Milton III scoring from a yard out. The Vols ran for 54 yards as a team on the drive and Milton threw for 21. 

Third Quarter

Tennessee 28, Virginia 3 (10:52, 3rd Quarter): Tennessee scored on its first possession of the second half, giving the Vols three straight touchdown drives. Joe Milton III ran around the right side to score from a yard out, capping a 10-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that took 3:10 off the clock. 

Tennessee 35, Virginia 3 (7:23, 3rd Quarter): Tennessee’s Wesley Walker stuffed Virginia quarterback Tony Muskett on fourth-and-1, handing the ball back to the Vols’ offense at the Virginia 30-yard line. Five plays later, Dylan Sampson ran for a 2-yard touchdown, his third of the day. Jabari Small carried five straight times to start the drive, gaining 28 yards.

Tennessee 35, Virginia 10 (3:05): Virginia scored its first touchdown on a 17-yard run from Perris Jones. It was an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive for the Cavs, taking 4:18 off the clock.

Fourth Quarter

Tennessee 42, Virginia 10 (13:36): Jacob Warren hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Joe Milton III to open the scoring in the fourth quarter. The drive went 27 yards in six plays over two minutes, three seconds. The scoring drive was setup by a 55-yard punt return from Dee Williams.

Tennessee 49, Virginia 10 (11:06, 4th Quarter): Five-star freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava led his first career touchdown as the Vols continued to pour on points. Sampson scored his fourth touchdown of the afternoon to cap the drive, running in from three yards out. The Vols went 40 yards over seven plays on the way to the end zone, with Iamaleava completing 1 of 2 passes for six yards.