Dylan Sampson's hamstring injury casts shadow on Tennessee's College Football Playoff hopes.
The Tennessee Volunteers, making their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff, faced off against the formidable Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night, but their performance was marred by the absence of key player Dylan Sampson. The SEC's Offensive Player of the Year suffered from a significant hamstring injury, which rendered him largely ineffective, leading to Tennessee's disappointing 42-17 loss.
Sampson, who had been instrumental in Tennessee's success throughout the season, went down early in the first quarter. He managed only two carries for six yards before limping off the field and spending the majority of the game on the sidelines. Coach Josh Heupel noted, “We felt like he was in a good spot. We anticipated he would not have the same load but he re-tweaked it and wasn't available for a While.”
Before the playoff game, Sampson had already established himself as one of the NCAA's top running backs, amassing 1,485 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He set the records for rushing yards and touchdowns at Tennessee during the season, completing the year with 10 games featuring 100 yards or more. His absence created significant problems for the Volunteers, who struggled to establish the run game.
The Volunteers fell behind 21-0 early, and it became increasingly difficult for the team to regroup without their star running back. Without Sampson, the rushing game was ineffective, leaving quarterback Nico Iamaleava to bear much of the weight. Attempting to compensate for the loss, he ended up leading the team with 47 rushing yards on 20 attempts but struggled to find success through the air, completing only 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards.
Iamaleava described the team's struggles: “We didn't execute the whole game plan. We had to be Better.” It was clear from the outset of the match against Ohio State's stout defense—holding the Vols to just 87 rushing yards through three quarters—that the absence of Sampson had substantial consequences.
Adding to their woes, Tennessee also lost other key players during the game. Squirrel White and Dont'e Thompson, both star receivers, were sidelined with injuries, compounding the challenges for Iamaleava's passing game. Tennessee's offensive line failed to protect their quarterback, and he faced constant pressure from Ohio State’s defense.
Despite the setbacks, Tennessee managed to score two touchdowns, one from Iamaleava and another later on. Unfortunately, these efforts were not enough to recover from the early deficit. The defeat signaled the end of Tennessee's season, closing the book on what had been a remarkable but tumultuous year marked by highs and lows.
Heupel reflected on the disappointing finale and the potential for growth. “Tonight wasn’t one of our best performances this year, and so at the end of the day we’ve got to continue to grow. We’ll start again and start retooling, rebuilding, and grow as a football team.”
Now, questions loom over the future of Dylan Sampson following this season. With three successful college seasons under his belt, he is eligible to declare for the NFL Draft, having recorded impressive statistics with 2,486 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns throughout his collegiate career. Sampson currently sits at ninth place on Tennessee’s all-time rushing list.
His choices may impact both his future and Tennessee’s backfield heading forward, with fans and analysts eagerly awaiting his decision. For now, Volunteers fans can only speculate about what could have been if Dylan Sampson had been at his best during the playoffs.
