Nico Iamaleava passed for 209 yards and four touchdowns, leading No. 10 Tennessee to a 56-0 win over UTEP on Saturday.
The Volunteers (9-2) had a slow start but eventually gained momentum. Both teams went scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who had not caught a touchdown pass this season, caught two. Peyton Lewis also scored two touchdowns on the ground.
“Once we settled in and did the ordinary things, we had a real good day,” said Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, whose team scored on all eight of its red zone chances.
“We started off cold,” said Iamaleava. “We made too many errors. We picked it up as the game went on. That first play (of the Vols’ first series of the game — a long incomplete pass to Squirrel White) we missed for a touchdown. I really want that one back. All you can do is focus on the next play.”
Tennessee’s defensive line, which did not have any sacks in last week’s loss to Georgia, had four against the Miners.
UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. It was the second time in coach Scotty Wallen’s seven years with the team that UTEP has been shut out.
“I thought we took massive steps forward, even though the results weren’t what we wanted,” Wallen said. “(Tennessee) is one of the best teams in the country, right there.”
Just before halftime, UTEP lost starting quarterback Skyler Locklear to an injury. Backup JP Pickles had difficulty moving the ball after that.
“When Skyler went down, that kind of messed with us,” said Miners center Brennan Smith.
Tennessee’s offense came alive in the second quarter, scoring 28 points. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to White, Ethan Davis, and McCoy.
“(That first touchdown) was special for me,” said McCoy. “I promised my mom I’d get into the end zone. I never worried (this season, about not scoring). You have to have faith. The timing will be right for it to happen.”
UTEP was the stronger team in the first quarter. Tennessee gained only 37 offensive yards, and thanks to an interception near the end zone and a missed field goal by the Miners, the score remained tied at 0-0 after 15 minutes.
