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Home US News Ohio Tennessee’s offense falters in CFP defeat to Ohio State due to Dylan Sampson’s hamstring injury

Tennessee’s offense falters in CFP defeat to Ohio State due to Dylan Sampson’s hamstring injury

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Tennessee’s offense falters in CFP defeat to Ohio State due to Dylan Sampson’s hamstring injury

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tennessee’s maiden journey to the College Football Playoff was significantly bolstered by their dynamic rushing game, spearheaded by Dylan Sampson. However, during the critical first-round match against Ohio State, the Volunteers found themselves without their star running back when they needed him most.

Sampson, who earned the accolade of SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year, was sidelined for a substantial portion of the game due to a strained left hamstring. His contributions were limited to just two carries for six yards in the first quarter, and he only made a brief return early in the third quarter with a single catch for two yards—an underwhelming performance considering his prior season achievements.

According to head coach Josh Heupel, Sampson faced the injury setback toward the end of the game against Vanderbilt on November 30, where he had an impressive outing, racking up a career-high 178 yards on 25 carries. Following that match, he took a couple of weeks off to recover but reinjured himself during the first quarter of the playoff game. “We believed he was in a good position and didn’t expect him to carry the heavy load, but he re-aggravated the injury,” Heupel stated.

Throughout the first half, Sampson attempted to loosen up his hamstring by riding a stationary bike and stretching, but ultimately, his influence on the game was minimal. Despite a season where he set school records with 1,485 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns and achieved ten games with over 100 rushing yards, the Volunteers struggled to adapt without him. Tennessee’s rushing attack had averaged 232 yards per game this season, leading the SEC and ranking ninth in the nation.

Offensive coordinator Joey Halzle commented on Sampson’s absence, saying, “Whenever that guy is not at 100%, he makes everything go. Losing him and not having him at full speed was tough.” He acknowledged that part of the challenge was finding ways to adapt when key players are dealing with injuries. The Volunteers’ second-leading rusher, DeSean Bishop, managed only seven carries for 22 yards before also succumbing to injury.

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava faced further challenges as he was without two of his primary receivers, Squirrel White and Dont’e Thompson, who both left the game with injuries in the first half. This led to a disjointed offensive showing, with Iamaleava not completing his first pass until nearly five minutes into the second quarter. Tennessee’s initial three drives ended in punts, but they managed to score during their next two drives, narrowing the score to 21-10, thanks to a 2-yard touchdown run by Iamaleava. Unfortunately, the team didn’t score again until late in the game, with a final 2-yard touchdown run by Iamaleava with just 1:56 left on the clock.

“We struggled in protection early in the game,” Heupel assessed. “Nico did well with his mobility, but we faced difficulties in separation and execution.” Additionally, Tennessee initially held Ohio State to a three-and-out on their first drive; however, a facemask penalty on defensive lineman Bryson Eason negated that, allowing the Buckeyes to score first with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith, quickly establishing a 21-0 lead.

For the game, Iamaleava’s stats included 14 completions on 31 attempts for 104 passing yards, alongside a career-high of 20 rushing attempts for 47 yards. Reflecting on the game, he remarked, “We didn’t execute our game plan—we were meant to take the initiative, but they struck us hard first. It was a constant recovery throughout.”

Over the past four years, Heupel has transformed a struggling program that recorded a 3-7 season amidst a previous recruiting scandal into a formidable team that finished this year at 10-3 and reached the College Football Playoff. “This was not one of our best performances of the year,” Heupel noted. “We must continue to grow, retool, and rebuild as a team moving forward.”