If the TaxSlayer Bowl is any indication, Tennessee’s future is bright.
The Vols, led by a slew of underclassmen, dominated from the start in a 45-28 win over Iowa in Jacksonville. Freshman running back Jalen Hurd set the tone with two touchdown runs in the first quarter and then sophomore quarterback Josh Dobbs and the Vols’ defense took the reins from there.
The Vols came out with a purpose by feeding the 6-foot-3, 221-pound Hurd early and often. Hurd reeled off runs of 25 yards and 12 yards before scoring from three yards out on Tennessee’s first drive. After Iowa turned it over on downs, Hurd, who finished with 122 yards on 16 carries, broke off runs of 15 and 29 yards, the latter of which reached the end zone to give the Vols an early 14-0 lead.
The offensive success continued on Tennessee's next drive when senior running back Marlin Lane hit Vic Wharton on a 49-yard halfback pass, increasing the lead to 21-0.
Dobbs, who completed 16-of-21 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown while running for 76 yards, scoring the first of his two rushing touchdowns early in the second from eight yards out to give the Vols a 28-0 lead.
Iowa did manage to get on the board via a Mark Weisman touchdown run before halftime, but the Vols added a fifth score of the half on a Dobbs 19-yard pass to Von Pearson to give Tennessee a commanding 35-7 lead at the break.
Dobbs scored on the ground again midway through the third, expanding the lead to 42-7. From then on out, the Vols were able to milk the clock on offense while the defense put a halt to Iowa’s efforts to get back in the game.
The Hawkeyes were able add two touchdowns in garbage time, but it was too little too late and the Vols held on for the win.
The win gives Tennessee (7-6) its seventh win of the season, clinches the program’s first winning season since 2009 and first bowl win since the 2008 Outback Bowl.
For Iowa (7-6), the loss marks the end of another underwhelming season for a stagnant program in what was Kirk Ferentz’s 16th season at the helm. The Hawkeyes haven’t won more than eight games since 2009 and haven’t won a bowl game since the 2010 Insight Bowl.
With Iowa’s loss, the Big Ten is now 5-5 this bowl season. Tennessee improves the SEC’s mark to 6-5.
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