Tennessee Volunteers vs Kentucky Wildcats Match Player Stats On Oct 28, 2023

Joe Milton III threw for 228 yards and Jaylen Wright added 120 yards rushing as No. 21 Tennessee withstood a challenge from Kentucky in a 33-27 Southeastern Conference win on Saturday in Lexington, Ky.

Milton completed 18 of 21 passes for one touchdown and no interceptions as Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) led from start to finish in fending off the Wildcats (5-3, 2-3).

Charles Campbell made all four of his field-goal attempts and Dylan Sampson added 115 total yards (76 rushing, 39 receiving), playing a major role late for the Volunteers.

The sophomore accounted for 52 of the yards on a key 65-yard march in the fourth quarter, which Sampson capped with a 12-yard touchdown carry that put Tennessee up 33-24.

Then, after Alex Raynor kicked a 28-yard field goal to draw Kentucky close with 4:24 left, Sampson helped salt the game away as the Volunteers ran out the clock on the game's final possession.

In losing their third straight game, the Wildcats got a strong performance from Devin Leary, who completed 28 of 39 passes for 372 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee held Ray Davis to a season-low 42 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Dane Key added seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats.

Tennessee jumped in front on its first possession as Wright sprinted 52 yards for a touchdown.

The Volunteers then stuffed Davis on a fourth-and-1 carry at the Wildcats 34, setting up a 44-yard field goal by Campbell that gave Tennessee a 10-0 lead.

Then it turned into a shootout, as both teams scored on their remaining possessions in the first half.

After the teams traded field goals, Leary directed consecutive 75-yard touchdown drives. He capped the first with an 11-yard scoring pass to Barion Brown. Davis finished off the other with a 7-yard TD run.

In between, Milton threw a 39-yard scoring pass to Chas Nimrod, who was wide open on the Kentucky sideline.

A 34-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half by Campbell gave Tennessee a 23-17 lead. Campbell then opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 35-yarder with 6:49 to go.

Leary cut the deficit to 26-24 with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Key later in the third, but after that Sampson took advantage of a tired Wildcats defense.

--Field Level Media