KNOXVILLE, TN - November 25, 2023 - Running though the T during the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Emma Corona/Tennessee Athletics
All Tennessee needed to get right after a pair of lopsided losses was to play Vanderbilt, and the Vols dispatched their in-state rivals with ease to finish the regular season at 8-4. In a game that got feisty in the second quarter, Tennessee ultimately had too much to be troubled, jumping out to a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter and leading 31-10 at halftime and 45-10 entering the fourth quarter of an eventual 48-24 win at Neyland Stadium. Quarterback Joe Milton IIIÂ delivered his best performance of the season with multiple career-highs and the Vols were much stouter on defense after allowing an opening-drive touchdown.
Milton was locked in from the start and went on to toss a career-high four touchdown passes and total a career-best 383 passing yards. The sixth-year senior quarterback added a pair of short rushing touchdowns to become the first Vol to account for six touchdowns in a game since 2009. Ramel Keyton caught two of those touchdown passes, he and Squirrel White had 100-yard receiving games and tight ends Jacob Warren and McCallan Castles both caught touchdown passes.
