Vols move up in updated rankings after 56-0 win at Vanderbilt

Tennessee’s bounce-back win at Vanderbilt Saturday night helped the Vols move up three spots in the USA Today Coaches Poll, going up from No. 11 to No. 8, and two spots in the Associated Press Top 25, from No. 9 to No. 7, in Sunday afternoon’s updated rankings.

The USA Today poll has Georgia at No. 1 head of No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 TCU and No. 4 Southern Cal. Ohio State dropped to No. 5 after the loss to Michigan, while Alabama is ranked No. 6 and Penn State is No. 7.

The AP Top 25 has the same top six as the Coaches Poll, but has the Vols ranked one spot ahead of Penn State.

Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) clinched its first 10-win regular season since 2003 with an emphatic 56-0 win over Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville. 

Joe Milton III replaced injured Hendon Hooker (torn ACL) at quarterback, completing 11 of 21 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. The Vols were dominant on the ground, running 31 times for 362 yards and six touchdowns.

Tennessee’s defense allowed just 254 total yards in the shutout.

“I love the way that our kids responded and finished the regular season,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said after the win. “It’s been a long time since we’ve won 10. It’s something that we talked about this week. It was important to go finish the right way. Our guys did that.

“Defensively they responded in a really positive way. They’re a prideful group and played a lot better football this week.”

Vols rush for 362 yards, six touchdowns in 56-0 win at Vanderbilt

Jaylen Wright rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries, averaging 32.0 yards per rush. Freshman Dylan Sampson had 131 yards on 12 carries wit ha touchdown. Jabari Small had two touchdown, running for 79 yards on 11 carries.

In the second half alone, Tennessee had touchdown runs of 50 and 83 yards from Wright, a 52-yarder from Small and an 80-yarder from Sampson.

“Offensively, the big runs…the weather was tough tonight and I thought our offensive line took over the football game in the second half as far as what we were doing offensively. We were able to create big runs. Our running backs stepped through something typically in the first or second level, third level early and did a great job of extending the play.

“I thought we blocked cleaner up front in the second and created those big plays.”

A week after South Carolina score 63 points and had nine touchdowns on 10 total possessions, Vanderbilt punted eight times and had four more drives end of failed fourth downs.

“We didn’t play our best football,” Heupel said of the loss at South Carolina. “We didn’t play assignment, alignment and technique. Tonight we did. We made plays. We were physical. You’ve got to defeat blocks, we did that.

“It’s a group that at the end of the day was disappointed in the way that they played and you could feel that early in the week. They prepared and played really good football.

Josh Heupel on bowl possibilities: ‘Wherever we end up is where we end up’

Tennessee now awaits the bowl selection process, with the Sugar Bowl, the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl as possibilities for the New Years Six bowl-bound Vols.

“Don’t have a preference at the end of the day,” Heupel said. “I’ve learned that your preference typically doesn’t come true anyway. Obviously you’ve got to sit back and watch another week of ball. For us, wherever we end up is where we end up. 

“Look forward to competing with these guys again. Obviously feel like we’ll be in a special bowl and expect our fanbase to travel well. And for us to get ready to go play well.”