KNOXVILLE - Tauren Poole ran for two touchdowns as Tennessee beat Middle Tennessee 24-0 on Saturday night.
The Vols (4-5) cruised to their 26th homecoming victory in 28 seasons after a month that saw them lose four consecutive games to Southeastern Conference opponents.
Austin Johnson intercepted Middle Tennessee's Logan Kilgore and ran the ball to the Blue Raiders 7. Poole had a 1-yard touchdown to give Tennessee a 7-0 lead with 9:05 in the first quarter.
Freshman Justin Worley got his first career touchdown on a 47-yard throw down the middle of the field that hit Da'Rick Rogers in the end zone. Worley was 23 of 32 for 291 yards.
Rogers caught the ball nine times for 137 yards and the score.
Kilgore had just 25 yards passing when Jeff Murphy replaced him early in the second quarter. Murphy finished 14 of 21 for 108 yards and an interception for the Blue Raiders (2-6).