Vols “BUTCHer” Hawkeyes,45-28

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

Taxslayer Bowl, UT Vols vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

The Vols gave new meaning to the Taxslayer Bowl on Friday night. For the Vols, it should have been named the “HawkeyeSlayer” Bowl. The Volunteers scored on each of their first 4 possessions of the game and rolled the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 70th annual bowl.

“We came here for a purpose,” Butch Jones said, “and that purpose was to win the bowl game.” For the Vols, it was their first bowl victory since 2008, when they beat another Big Ten foe in Wisconsin 21-17 in the Outback Bowl. Butch Jones also improves to 2-2 in bowl games as a head coach.

Freshman tailback, Jalen Hurd, got things started for the team in their home orange uniforms, as he rushed for 3 of his game-high 122 yards on a touchdown plunge. 6:33 later, Hurd raced 29-yards for yet another score and UT led 14-0.

After holding Iowa to a 3 and out, the Vols wouldn’t need long to strike again. One play later Vic Wharton caught his first touchdown in his Tennessee career; the pass did not come from quarterback Josh Dobbs though. Dobbs threw the ball to the far sideline to running back Marlin Lane. Lane then tossed it to a wide-open Wharton for a 49-yard Tennessee touchdown.

With the game in full command, the Volunteers did not slow down. Tennessee would score two more times in the first half and held a big advantage at 35-7 at the half.

Jones was pleased with his team’s play in the half, and claimed it was part of the game plan. “We wanted to start fast. We thought that was critical in this game.”

Iowa’s defense came into the game as the team’s strong point, allowing just 334 yards per game. The Vols had 321 yards by the time the first 30 minutes of play were finished.

Iowa would get on the board in the second half a few times against Tennessee backups, but it was much too late, and the Vols rolled to a 45-28 victory.

This victory is the largest margin of victory for the Vols in a bowl game since the 2005 Cotton Bowl, when the Vols defeated Texas A&M, 38-7.

Sophomore quarterback, Joshua Dobbs, was named the MVP of the game, going 16-21 for 129 yards through the air with one touchdown. He added 2 rushing touchdowns and 76 yards to his stat line, as well. “Coming into the season our goal was to get to a bowl game and win it,” said Dobbs. “We were able to do that today.”

As all people in life have an expectancy, Jones says football teams do to, “Each team has a life expectancy” said Jones “And we knew we only had today to live.”

The Vols opened 2015 with a victory and hope to continue the win streak in the season opener when the Vols travel to Nashville for their season opener against Bowling Green.

Source: Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports