Tennessee Football Sets Modern Era Scoring Record vs ETSU

The Tennessee Volunteers set a modern-era school record by scoring 72 points in their home opener against East Tennessee State, surpassing the previous record of 71 points. The Vols amassed 717 total yards of offense, with quarterback Joey Aguilar completing 23 of 31 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns before backups Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre also contributed in the second half. Star Thomas led the running game with 69 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while receivers Chris Brazzell II and Mike Matthews combined for over 230 receiving yards and multiple touchdowns. Freshmen players made notable contributions, scoring their first career touchdowns and gaining valuable playing time as Tennessee expanded its lead. Defensively, the Vols limited ETSU to 216 yards and forced multiple three-and-outs, demonstrating control on both sides of the ball. Tennessee also set a single-game program record with 41 first downs, showcasing a dominant offensive performance under head coach Josh Heupel.