Tennessee rushing attack fuels Vols in first win of Josh Heupel Era

Given the anticipation that's been building about Josh Heupel's fast-paced offense, Tennessee's coach didn't wait long to reward those in search of something different. 

On their first possession of the night, the Vols marched 66 yards in 12 quick plays before Michigan transfer Joe Milton III sprinted into the checkerboards for the first touchdown of the Heupel era.

Then, Tennessee moved even faster. 67 yards in eight plays yielded a 14-0 lead less halfway through the first quarter, and all appeared well -- until Rocky Top formed a plateau. 

After racking up 159 yards of total offense in the first quarter, the Vols managed just eight in the second frame. Meanwhile, Bowling Green turned two Tennessee punts into two field goals for a 14-6 halftime score. 

But the Falcons' success wouldn't last. 

Fueled by a strong rushing attack and two quick drives to open the third quarter, Tennessee pulled away for a 38-6 win over the Falcons. 

The victory puts Josh Heupel 1-0 in his Tennessee career, propelling the Vols into next week's 'Johnny Majors Classic' against Pittsburgh. 

Rushing game trumps passing attack, at least in Week One

After Milton's first score, Tennessee gave the ball to Jabari Small for the second touchdown of the night. 

The Vols stayed with the ground game on each of the next two trips to pay dirt. 

Despite what appeared to be a poor read, Milton dodged defenders around the left end to put the Vols up 21-6 before Tiyon Evans sprinted 19 yards for a three-touchdown advantage. 

Chase McGrath gave the Vols a cherry on top in the fourth quarter, as the USC transfer booted a 53-yard field goal for a 31-6 lead.

Cedric Tillman accounted for the final margin, hauling in a 40-yard pass from Joe Milton for the 38-6 final.

Heupel has mentioned time and again that his offense would feature more of a ground game than people first expected. Given the statistics in Thursday's debut, that rushing attack might turn out to be his most reliable option.

Evans led the Vols with 116 yards on 16 carries and the lone score, while Small took 23 carries for 124 yards and his first-quarter touchdown. The Vols also accumulated over 200 more rushing yards in the second half than they did in the first half. 

Evans, the former Hutchinson Community College standout, paced the Vols at 7.3 yards per carry. Milton, meanwhile, punched in both touchdowns on the ground and took 13 carries for 42 yards. 

Through the air, the former Wolverine finished the night 11-of-23 for 140 yards with one touchdown. His speediest receiver, Jalin Hyatt, hauled in four passes for 62 yards with almost half that accumulated on one 30-yard grab. Tillman finished with two receptions for 48 yards and the score.

The Vols’ offense coughed up two turnovers — one on a fumble from Milton, and another during an exchange after Hendon Hooker took over late. 

Jackson shines as defense accounts for several triple-tackle nights

Defensively, Tennessee took care of business -- but not without a few struggles. 

As mentioned, Bowling Green found success in the first half, with Matt McDonald threading passes and finding lanes through the middle of the field. 

But the Falcons' efforts weren't enough to overcome Theo Jackson and the Volunteer secondary. 

Jackson led Tennessee with a whopping 11 tackles, six on solo attempts, and he had 2.5 tackles for loss with three break-ups. 

Alontae Taylor finished with six stops in total, and and six more Vols accumulated at least three tackles apiece.