Joey Aguilar threw for 204 yards and Desean Bishop rushed for 80 yards to lead No. 23 Tennessee to a 42-9 nonconference win over New Mexico State Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.
The Volunteers (7-3) led 21-3 and halftime and outscored the Aggies (3-7) 21-0 in the third quarter to cruise to the win.
Quarterback Logan Fife completed 23 of 34 passes for 166 yards for the Conference USA school.
The Volunteers outgained the Aggies 413-340.
Tennessee used quick strikes to build the big lead at halftime.
The Aggies won the time of possession battle 19:06-10:54, but the Volunteers dominated the first half. The Aggies had the ball for 35:39 compared to 24:21 for the Volunteers.
Aguilar completed 9 of 13 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions in the first half.
Fife had a solid first half as well, completing 19 of 30 passes for 147 yards.
The game was still scoreless when Fife drove the Aggies to midfield. However, his pass fell incomplete on fourth down and the Volunteers didn’t wait long to make it pay off.
Aguilar drove Tennessee 59 yards in the four plays, capping the drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Bishop for a 7-0 UT lead with 7:56 remaining in the first quarter.
On the next possession, Ty Redmond broke up a Fife pass and then intercepted the ball giving Tennessee the ball on the New Mexico State 36.
Three plays later, Aguilar kept the ball on an option play and went 27 yards around left end for a touchdown and a 14–0 Tennessee lead.
The Volunteers took over again with a 1:00 to go in the first quarter on the 1-yard line. Aguilar proceeded to dive them 99 yards in 13 plays to take a 21-point lead with 11:24 to go in the half.
Aguilar capped the drive with a 15-yard pass to a wide open Braylon Staley across the middle to make it 21-0. Staley led the Vols with five receptions.
The Volunteers wasted little time taking a 28-3 lead after halftime as they went 75 yards on 11 plays on their first possession.
Bishop dominated the drive, catching a 13-yard pass and popping off a 14-yard run on the next play.
Star Thomas capped the drive with a 21-yard scamper to put Tennessee up 25.
