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How It Happened: No. 15 Tennessee stomps UAB 56-24 in bounce-back blowout

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey09/20/25GrantRamey
Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) holds off UAB safety Pierre Royster (7) during an NCAA college football game on September 20, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) holds off UAB safety Pierre Royster (7) during an NCAA college football game on September 20, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

No. 15 Tennessee bounced back from the overtime loss to No. 5 Georgia last week by stomping UAB 56-24 Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium. Here’s how it happened, as it happened:

First Quarter

Tennessee 7, UAB 0 (12:56): Tennessee went 75 yards in seven plays to start the game with a touchdown. Again it was Chris Brazzell II getting in the end zone, catching a 19-yard pass from Joey Aguilar for his sixth touchdown over the last nine quarters. Braylon Staley had a 31-yard catch to spark the drive.

Tennessee 14, UAB 0 (11:07): Tennessee’s defense forced a three-and-out on tits first possession and Joey Aguilar immediately went back to work. On the second play of the second drive, Aguilar threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Mike Matthews to make it a 14-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.

Tennessee 21, UAB 0 (4:01): The third possession of the game ended with Joey Aguilar’s pass being deflected and intercepted. But the Vols forced another UAB punt and again went down the field for a touchdown. This time it was DeSean Bishop on a 3-yard run, capping a five-play, 45-yard touchdown drive.

Second Quarter

Tennessee 28, UAB 0 (10:44): Tennessee’s fourth touchdown of the day capped a 10-play, 60-yard drive, with Star Thomas getting in the end zone on a 1-yard run.

Tennessee 28, UAB 7 (7:34): The Blazers got on the board when UAB scored on a 30-yard pass from Jalen Kitna to Brandon Hawkins Jr. UAB lined up multiple receivers and two offensive linemen wide right, then threw back left where two other receivers were lined up.

Tennessee 35, UAB 7 (2:50): Peyton Lewis got in on the touchdown fun with a 32-yard run on a third-and-4 late in the first half, capping a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 4:44 off the clock.

Tennessee 42, UAB 7 (0:32): Desean Bishop scored his second rushing touchdown of the game and gave the Vols four rushing touchdowns as a team when he ran in from 2 yards out with 32 seconds left in the first half, putting Tennessee up by 35.

Third Quarter

Tennessee 52, UAB 10 (12:06): UAB kicked a 45-yard field goal to open the scoring in the second half. The Blazers punted on their first possession of the third quarter, but Boo Carter muffed the punt and UAB recovered, setting up the field goal four plays later.

Tennessee 52, UAB 10 (9:53): Joey Aguilar flipped a shovel pass with his left hand to running back Star Thomas, who found a hole in the offensive line then jumped clear of a would-be tackler on his way to the end zone on a 17-yard touchdown reception. It gave Aguilar 218 yards and three touchdowns on the day.

Tennessee 59, UAB 10 (2:37): Kaleb Beasley scooped up a fumble and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown to give Tennessee’s defense another big play in the third quarter. Beasley scored the touchdown while facing his former high school coach, Trent Dilfer, who was hired at UAB after coaching at Lipscomb Academy.

Tennessee 59, UAB 17 (1:24): UAB got back in the end zone for the second time after scoring on a 61-yard touchdown pass. Jalen Kitna threw the touchdown to Kaleb Brown after a broken play by the Tennessee defense left Brown running wide open down the sideline.

Fourth Quarter

Tennessee 56, UAB 24 (0:48): UAB scored with 48 seconds left on a 1-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Jacobs. The Blazers went 82 yards in 14 plays, taking 6:48 off the clock, on their third touchdown drive.