LEXINGTON, Ky. (WJHL) – No. 21 Tennessee went back to the well on Saturday night in a tight contest at Kroger Stadium to secure a 33-27 victory over Kentucky.
Four Big Orange ball carriers combined for 254 rushing yards, as Josh Heupel and company held on to defeat the Wildcats for a third-straight season.
Jaylen Wright led the with with eleven carries for 120 yards and a score, while Dylan Sampson toted the ball 18 times for 76 yards and a touchdown. Jabari Small (32 yds) and Joe Milton III (26 yds) all contributed to the big night.
Wright kicked things off with a 52-yard strike in the first quarter that put the Vols out in front – for good. The closest Kentucky came to overtaking the lead was at 13-10, following a Devin Leary-Barion Brown eleven-yard connection in the second quarter.
In the third quarter, Leary found Dane Key on a seven-yard pitch-and-catch to make it 26-24.
Sampson put the game on ice for UT with a 12-yard score midway through the fourth.
Milton was near-perfect from the pocket, completing 18-of-21 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown. Chas Nimrod’s lone catch of the night was a 39-yard touchdown.
Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) return to Neyland Stadium next Saturday for a homecoming matchup with UConn. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
