Tennessee is bowl eligible following a 60-14 victory over South Alabama Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
The Vols (6-5, 3-4 SEC) scored on their first seven offensive possessions and also found the end zone on a 96-yard kickoff return from Velus Jones Jr. en route to notching their sixth win of the 2021 campaign.
Tennessee starting quarterback Hendon Hooker posted another solid performance against the Jaguars (5-6). Hooker was 17-for-20 and amassed 273 yards and threw a pair of touchdowns. He also ran for a score for the Vols, who scored the game’s first touchdown on a 1-yard plunge by Jabari Small to make it 7-0 with 11 minutes, 13 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Vols extended their advantage to 14-0 a short time later when Jaylen Wright scored on a 17-yard scamper.
Hooker then threw a pair of scoring strikes on consecutive Tennessee possessions. He connected with Cedric Tillman from 23-yards out with 10:37 remaining before halftime to make it 21-0.
Hooker’s second touchdown pass was a 24-yarder to tight end Princeton Fant to make it 28-0 a short time later.
South Alabama quarterback Desmond Trotter had the the first of his two touchdown passes late in the second frame before Velus Jones Jr. scored on a 96-yard kickoff return to give the Vols the 35-7 lead they enjoyed at halftime.
Small’s second scoring rum and Hooker’s 6-yard scoring dash gave the Vols a 49-7 lead midway through the third stanza.
Backup quarterback Joe Milton III engineered a touchdown drive early in the final frame. It was culminated on Len’Neth Whitehead’s touchdown run with 12:50 left in the game.
The Jaguars pulled to within 56-14 on Trotter’s second touchdown pass. a 68-yarder to Jalen Tolbert.
The Vols’ defense added a pair of late safeties, which provided the final margin.