KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee found its seventh win of the season on Saturday, but it wasn’t without a fight from Kentucky.

The defense was able to shut down Kentucky in the red zone on their first drive, but offensively, the first quarter woes continued. This time, though, they featured some special teams hiccups, starting with a missed 43-yard field goal by Max Gilbert on the Vols’ first drive of the game.

It would end up being one of three Gilbert missed field goals against the Wildcats.

On the next possession, several strong passes from Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandergriff helped the Wildcats find the first touchdown of the game on a 27-yard catch by Josh Kattus. That would be the only touchdown of the first quarter, leaving the score at 7-0 and the Vols defense to allow the first quarter of the season.

Watch: Vol Walk before the Tennessee-Kentucky game

As the end of the first half approached, the Vols were still scoreless. That is until freshman Peyton Lewis broke the first-half curse that Tennessee has been plagued with over the past three games.

Lewis hit a 1-yard touchdown run for the only first-half score Tennessee had in the last four games. The first touchdown of his collegiate career tied the Vols at seven with the Wildcats.

Kentucky kicked another field goal, taking a 10-7 lead into the half.

The second half was the same story Tennessee has written the past three games, still highlighted by a Dylan Sampson surge.

Sampson gave the Vols their first lead of the night with less than nine minutes left in the third quarter. The junior took a 7-yard run into the end zone not only for a 14-10 lead, but for his 18th touchdown of the year.

That touchdown tied the Tennessee program record for touchdowns scored in a single season.

With less than a minute left in the third, Tennessee picked up another touchdown on a 6-yard pass from Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava to Miles Kitselman. The score ended the quarter, Tennessee up 21-10.

Trailing out of the gate in the final quarter, the Wildcats brought the fight back, though the roar of Neyland Stadium was definitely starting to get to them. The first possession of the fourth quarter was marred by penalties – one for a false start and another for a delay of game. However, the Wildcats were able to end the drive with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Ja’Mori Maclin to Gavin Wimsatt, with the Wildcats finishing with a 2-point conversion to pull them within three points at 21- 18.

With just under 10 minutes left in the game, Tennessee struggled to find another touchdown, with none other than the guy who has done it for them all season. With 4:55 on the clock, Sampson found the end zone from 6 yards out, pulling the score to 28-18.

With the touchdown, Sampson now holds the record for most touchdowns scored in a single season by a Vol.

Sampson is also now tied for third most career touchdowns scored at Tennessee, as well as now tied for the second most 100-yard games in a single season behind who recorded 142 yards tonight.

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While Kentucky did its best to bring back another score, the ball was turned back to the Vols with 2:12 left in the game. Tennessee hung onto the ball the rest of the game, ending the night with a score of 28-18.

Next Saturday, the Vols are set to face Mississippi State at Neyland Stadium before heading to Athens, Georgia on Saturday, November 16th.

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