5 takeaways from Vols’ 31-14 win vs. Clemson

On the heels of their most profitable common season since 2003, a season that ended with a Peach Bowl loss to the Clemson Tigers, Tennessee soccer righted the ship this time. The Vols scored an enormous Orange Bowl victory over that very same Clemson program to clinch their most profitable general season since 2001.

UT, ranked No. 6 throughout the board, beat Clemson 31-14 within the Orange Bowl Friday. Clemson got here in ranked No. 7 within the School Soccer Playoff, No. 10 within the AP Ballot and No. 11 within the Coaches Ballot. The Vols scored the primary two touchdowns and by no means regarded again.

With the win, Rocky High finishes the season at 11-2. Clemson, in the meantime, finishes at 11-3, their second straight three-loss season suggesting this system could also be on the decline. Listed below are 5 takeaways from Tennessee soccer’s first bowl win in three years.

Listed below are 5 issues we discovered from the Tennessee soccer Volunteers’ Orange Bowl victory over the Tigers.

Tennessee head soccer coach Josh Heupel is seen on the sidelines in the course of the Orange Bowl sport between the Tennessee Vols and Clemson Tigers at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. Tennessee defeated Clemson 31-14.
Orangebowl1230 4160

5. Vols took fewer pictures downfield.

It’s not like Josh Heupel didn’t nonetheless take pictures. Nonetheless, the smooth zone protection of Clemson, which clearly got here out of an absence of religion in Joe Milton III to make the proper passes, resulted within the Vols taking a lot of beneath routes. It labored out nonetheless, as Milton was 19-of-28 for 251 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

In the meantime, Heupel ran the ball 38 occasions. Basically, this was considerably reverse of the fashion Heupel employed all yr. It nonetheless labored out, as Rocky High was in a position to come away with a dominating win, nevertheless it’s not the offense that everyone noticed with Hendon Hooker.

To be honest, Milton hit a few deep pictures to Ramel Keyton and Squirrel White. He took step one in proving he might be that man for Tennessee soccer going into subsequent yr together with his accuracy, and he deserves a variety of credit score for that. His receivers helped, and that results in our subsequent level on this submit.