CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tennessee on Saturday night played its first prime-time football game on a traditional major network since winning the “Battle at Bristol” over Virginia Tech in 2016.
The Volunteers made the most of the spotlight.
An 85-yard interception return by walk-on safety Will Brooks with 3 minutes and 29 seconds before halftime opened the floodgates as the No. 14 Vols humbled No. 24 North Carolina State 51-10 at the Duke’s Mayo Classic before a crowd of 72,730 inside Bank of America Stadium. The Brooks pick of Grayson McCall gave Tennessee a 17-3 lead, and a 45-yard Max Gilbert field goal at the halftime horn made it 20-3.
“That was obviously super exciting,” Brooks said. “We had a great call from the box upstairs. I was able to read my keys. The ball came to me, and I was able to take it to the house.
“It was a great momentum play, obviously.”