Vols open second Heupel season with resounding win
By Tom Mabry, Knoxville Daily Sun - UT Football Writer
September 2, 2022, 10:46 a.m.

Image by Knoxville Daily Sun staff

The Tennessee football squad started quickly and later emptied their bench in an emphatic 59-10 drubbing of Ball State to begin the 2022 Season. Last night’s game was the first between the Vols and the Mid American Conference Cardinals, who probably wished that they’d lost the opening coin toss rather than won it.

While thousands of ticket holders waited impatiently outside of Neyland Stadium negotiating the “new and improved” all-digital ticketing system, Tennessee scored its first touchdown. Known for quick starts, the team didn’t disappoint the fans who actually made it into the stadium on time.

Defensive Star Back Tamarion McDonald intercepted redshirt junior John Paddock’s initial pass attempt and then Hendon Hooker connected with Jalin Hyatt for a touchdown 23 seconds into the game. By the time all of the fans had settled into their seats at the end of the first quarter, Tennessee had upped the lead to 17-0.

Fans walking to Neyland Stadium; Image by Tom Mabry

In contrast to last season’s second quarter swoons, the Vols scored 21 in the second fifteen minutes for a 38-0 halftime lead. Hooker, one of five Vol quarterbacks to play in the game, was 16-22 passing for 201 yards with two passing TDs and two rushing TDs - all before the Pride of the Southland Band began their Phil Collins themed show honoring fifty years of nighttime games at Neyland.

Hendo Cinco’s QB roommate Joe Milton III took the reins of the offense in the third stanza and also had a memorable outing going 8-9 passing for 113 yards, a touchdown pass on a bullet to Jimmy Holiday and a long run to set up Tennessee’s next to last score.

Ball State scored on a Paddock to Tanner Koziol strike and a late field goal by Ben VonGunten. Chase McGrath kicked a 34 yard field goal and eight extra points for Tennessee. Cedrick Tillman led the Vols receivers with six receptions for 69 yards. All told, seven different Vols scored touchdowns in the game.

Next week, Tennessee visits the Pitt Panthers for a revenge matchup in the second installment of the Johnny Majors Classic, while the Cardinals begin their MAC campaign against Western Michigan.

Neyland Stadium; Image by Tom Mabry

GAME NOTES

*VFL Basketball Stalwarts and current NBA players Kennedy Chandler and Admiral Schofield were honored in the North End Zone

*With the exception of the ticketing morass, the renovated Stadium had the look and feel of the nostalgic with the modern (the V-O-L-S lettering in the South end zone and the new Jumbotron atop the North stands)

*Josh Heupel is now 8-6 as the Vols head coach

*The Student Section was a Force and Cash will not help you much buying anything in the Stadium anymore

*Players continued to cramp and flop with impunity during the contest

*Attendance was announced at 92,236