Dylan Sampson rushes for 141 yards and 2 TDs to lead No. 7 Tennessee past Kentucky 28-18

Updated Nov. 3, 2024 12:45 a.m. ET

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dylan Sampson rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 7 Tennessee to a 28-18 victory over Kentucky Saturday night.

Tight end Miles Kitselman caught six passes for 97 yards and a touchdown for the Volunteers (7-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) as they won their third straight and kept their College Football playoff hopes alive.

“We don't take any win for granted,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “Every week is its own season. You've gotta play smart football and tie it all together.”

The Wildcats (3-5, 1-6) lost their fourth straight game after five starters were out with injuries. During the game, receiver Barion Brown and quarterback Brock Vandagriff were also hurt.

“We finished the game down 10 starters,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “We're pretty beat up right now.”

After trailing 10-7 at halftime, Kitselman and Sampson scored in the third quarter to put Tennessee up 21-10. Gavin Wimsatt replaced Vandagriff, who left after a hard hit by James Pearce, and threw an interception on his first series. On his second series, Wimsatt hit Ja'Mori Maclin for a 32-yard TD to cut Kentucky's deficit to 21-18.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed 28 of 38 passes for 292 yards and the TD to Kitselman.

“(Iamaleava) played with great confidence and great poise,” Heupel said. “(The pass to Kitselman) was just a player making plays. He understood the traffic going by.”

“(My performance) was OK,” Iamaleava said. “The sky's the limit for this offense.”

Sampson stretched the advantage to 28-18 as he was carried by a scrum for a 6-yard score. It was Sampson's 19th touchdown of the season, a school record.

“I was surprised (the officials) didn't blow the whistle (before he scored),” Sampson said. “My teammates wanted (the school record) more than me.”

Jamarion Wilcox rushed for 102 yards, including a 50-yarder on the game's first snap.

“It's hard, it's challenging,” Stoops said about going 4 of 14 on third down against Tennessee's defense. “Against a good team like this, it's frustrating.”

Tennessee scored in the first half for the first time in four games when Peyton Lewis scored from three yards out. The Vols missed two field goals, dropped a pass in the end zone and fumbled on the Wildcat 22 but still got the job done.

The takeaway

Kentucky: If the Wildcats intend on playing in a bowl game this season, they must win the three remaining games on their schedule. They have now lost four straight games and will need to make health a priority.

Tennessee: Vols coach Josh Heupel keeps reminding his players to “stay in the moment" and not look ahead to a showdown with Georgia on Nov. 16. For it to be a pivotal game, Tennessee has to take care of business next week against Mississippi State. There is no margin of error when a berth in the College Football Playoff is concerned.

Poll implications

There is a small chance Tennessee moves up after No. 3 Penn State lost to No. 4 Ohio State.

Up next

The Wildcats will host Murray State Nov. 16, while the Vols will play their fourth straight home game against Mississippi State Saturday.

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CFB - Kentucky Wildcats vs. Tennessee Volunteers - 11/02/2024