A tight game early turned into a blowout in the second half Saturday as Tennessee ran away with a 53-28 victory over Vanderbilt.

Here’s a closer look at the game:

5 TAKEAWAYS

1. Tennessee’s football program continues to progress under Butch Jones: With its win over Vanderbilt, Tennessee ended its regular season on a five-game winning streak and an 8-4 overall record — both firsts since 2007. At 5-3 in conference play, the Volunteers finished tied for second in the SEC East. The last time Tennessee finished that high in the division was 2009. In Butch Jones’ three seasons as coach, Tennessee has improved in both win total and division standing from season to season. Tennessee’s program is clearly moving in the right direction.

2. Tennessee’s 2016 expectations will be high: Jones’ highly touted recruiting classes have provided Tennessee with depth — something Tennessee hasn’t had since Phillip Fulmer was the Vols’ head coach. Next season’s squad should be the most-talented Tennessee team since 2007. The Vols should be one of the favorites in SEC East.

3. Tennessee RB Alvin Kamara adds another dimension to Tennessee’s offensive attack: Kamara is Tennessee’s most versatile offensive player, and his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield makes Tennessee’s offense a tough puzzle for any defense to solve. He can hurt teams with his speed on the edges, softening up the middle of defenses for RB Jalen Hurd. Opposing defenses must also respect Kamara as a receiver dangerous after the catch. His receiving ability allows Tennessee receivers to find openings in opposing secondaries.

4. Tennessee’s rushing attack is devastating for opposing defenses: After rushing for 248 yards against Missouri’s stingy defense last Saturday, Tennessee’s offense rushed for 331 yards against Vanderbilt’s vaunted defense.

5. Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs is tough to tackle: Dobbs was unstoppable carrying the football against Vanderbilt. On his 6-yard touchdown run, Dobbs plowed through a wall of defenders. On his runs in the open field, he made multiple defenders miss tackles. And when Vanderbilt brought pressure, he escaped the pocket and made plays with his legs.

REPORT CARD

Offense: (A) — 523 total yards. 331 rushing yards. 53 points scored. It was a great game for the offense.

Defense: (A) — It wasn’t a perfect game, but the defense made big plays when Tennessee needed them most. With 37 seconds left before halftime, DB Todd Kelly Jr. intercepted QB Kyle Shurmur’s pass after Vanderbilt’s offense drove the ball 78 yards to Tennessee’s 11-yard line. If Vanderbilt had scored a touchdown on that drive, Tennessee’s lead would have been cut to six points. Instead, the Vols’ headed into the locker room with a 27-14 halftime lead. Then after Tennessee’s offense turned the ball over on downs on Vanderbilt’s 1-yard line early in the third quarter, the Vols’ defense stepped up and regained momentum when DE Derek Barnett sacked Shurmur in the end zone for a safety. Tennessee’s defense also allowed Vanderbilt to convert only one third-down play in the first three quarters.

Special Teams: (A) — Cameron Sutton returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown. Aaron Medley made field goals of 26 and 47 yards.

Coaching: (A) — Tennessee’s offensive game plan exposed Vanderbilt’s defense. And Tennessee made halftime adjustments on defense limited the effectiveness of Vanderbilt RB Ralph Webb and put pressure on Shurmur to make plays in the passing game.

Overall: (A) — Tennessee dominated this game on offense, defense and special teams.

GAME PLAN

On offense, Tennessee relied on its rushing attack to move the ball down the field. The Vols’ attacked Vanderbilt’s defense on the edges, allowing offensive linemen to create holes in the middle for running backs. Using all three of rushing threats allowed Tennessee to keep the defense confused and off-balance. The success of Tennessee’s rushing attack allowed Dobbs to find open receivers.

On defense, Tennessee’s plan was to contain Webb and force Shurmur to make plays in the passing game.

GAME BALLS

QB Joshua Dobbs: The junior is the leader of Tennessee’s offense, and he had a solid game with 11 carries for 93 yards, 13-of-21 in passing attempts for 140 yards and three total TDs.

DE Derek Barnett: The sophomore had five total tackles, including two sacks and the important safety.

INJURIES

OL Jashon Robertson had to be helped off the field in the third quarter.