Dylan Sampson sets new modern Tennessee single-season rushing touchdown record

Dylan Sampson has set a new Tennessee Football modern single-season rushing touchdown record with 18 this season, passing the previous record of 17 held by Reggie Cobb during the 1987 season. Sampson set the record with a 7-yard, go-ahead touchdown run against Kentucky in the third quarter Saturday night at Neyland Stadium.

Samson has now matched the all-time single-season rushing touchdown record for the Vols, matching Gene McEver’s 18 touchdowns in 1929. 

Cobb set the modern record with his 17 rushing touchdowns in 12 games in 1987. He finished the season with 1,197 yards on 237 attempts and also caught three touchdown passes that year. 

Sampson’s touchdown run against Kentucky gave him 80 yards on 15 carries in the game. He ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns to lead Tennessee to a 24-17 win over rival Alabama two weeks ago.

He has rushed for 100 or more yards in six of the first seven games this season, with the 139 against Alabama being a new season high. He had 138 at Arkansas, 132 vs. NC State, 124 vs. Chattanooga, 112 vs. Florida, 101 vs. Kent State and 92 at Oklahoma. 

Sampson is on pace for 29 rushing touchdowns in Tennessee’s 12-game regular season. He’s now up to 838 yards on 144 attempts through seven games, averaging 119.7 yards per game and 5.8 yards per carry. 

Sampson has run for two or more touchdowns in six of seven games, too, with four against Kent State, three against Florida, two against NC State, Arkansas and Alabama and one against Oklahoma. 

He’s now up to 32 total touchdowns — 31 rushing, one receiving — in just 30 career games at Tennessee. Sampson has scored his 32 touchdowns in just 17 of his 30 games with the Vols. 

Sampson had six touchdowns as a freshman in 2022 and seven more last season, while also catching a touchdown pass last season. 

McEver holds Tennessee’s all-time career rushing touchdown record with 37 between 1928 and 1931. James Stewart holds the modern record 35 from 1991 to 1994.

Sampson is on pace to rush for 1,436 yards on 246 attempts, which would be an average of 5.83 yards per carry. 

Travis Stephens holds the single-season rushing record with 1,464 yards in 2001. Stephens also holds the Tennessee records for attempts, with 291 in 2001, averaging 4.93 yards per carry. 

Jay Graham holds the record for yards per game, averaging 130.7 in 11 games in 1995. Chuck Webb holds the record for average yards per rush, minimum 200 rushes, with 5.91 in 1989.

Sampson’s 139 yards against Alabama came on 26 attempts and included a long of 36 yards. 

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