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Nico Iamaleava finds Dont’e Thornton for 86-yard TD pass to tie game vs. Vanderbilt
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Nico Iamaleava made a huge play to draw Tennessee even with Vanderbilt late in the first half on Saturday in Nashville.
Iamaleava hit speedy wide receiver Dont’e Thornton for an 86-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter. That TD tied the game at 17-all, a big step for the Vols after they fell behind 14-0 in the early going.
Here’s a replay of Iamaleava’s 86-yard touchdown pass:
TENNESSEE GOES 86 YARDS TO THE HOUSE pic.twitter.com/K5uz4fAuSA
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 30, 2024
That’s Iamaleava’s longest passing play of the season. It’s just the 5th passing play of 80+ yards in the SEC so far in 2024. It’s just Iamaleava’s 6th pass of 50+ yards this season.
Tennessee got off to a rough start in this game after Vanderbilt returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. However, since then, the Vols have been chipping away at Vandy’s lead. That big play means Tennessee is averaging over 11 yards per play in this contest through its first 6 drives of the game.
This was Iamaleava’s second touchdown pass of the game, with the first also going to Thornton back in the first quarter.
This game carries significant weight in the College Football Playoff race. The Vols are likely in the CFP with a victory against the Commodores, but a loss would put their postseason aspirations in serious jeopardy.
Tennessee has won 5 consecutive games in this series.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
