QB Nico Iamaleava, 14th-ranked Vols look to build on momentum entering matchup with No. 24 NC State

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s impressive debut in Tennessee’s season opener has the 14th-ranked Volunteers riding high entering a big matchup with No. 24 North Carolina State on Saturday night.

That has coach Josh Heupel cautioning against his team getting overconfident ahead of the Duke’s Mayo Classic in Charlotte.

“As a competitor you can live in what everybody is talking about last week, but the reality is you’re only as good as your next performance,” Heupel said.

Iamaleava threw for a school-record 314 yards in the first half and three touchdowns in his first regular-season start to lead the Vols (1-0) to a 69-3 rout of Chattanooga, which had been ranked No. 8 in the Football Championship Subdivision to begin the season.

Heupel praised his QB’s accuracy and ability to fit the ball in tight spaces in the opener, but a bigger test is ahead against a Wolfpack defense that led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 17 interceptions last year. N.C. State Dave Doeren has no such worry about his Wolfpack being overconfident following his team’s Week 1 scare against Western Carolina.

The Wolfpack (1-0) pushed through a mistake-filled first half and trailed 21-17 entering the fourth quarter before scoring the game’s final 21 points after getting the ground game going. The night included twice being stuffed on fourth-and-1 by the FCS opponent.

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Doeren said afterward that “you never apologize for winning a football game,” but the performance has left the Wolfpack as a 7 1/2-point underdog.

He said he sensed some nerves from his team, which features 22 new players. Doeren is hoping that sets the stage for a leap against the Volunteers.

“We were able to really test our guys,” Doeren said. “We didn’t know it would be a test like that. You just don’t know when you get in games like that what you’re going to see. Obviously some of what we saw is on us. We didn’t execute well enough, but what we were able to do is see how our guys handle adversity. So we are tested.”

Protecting the QB

These teams feature two of college football’s most experienced offensive lines when gauged by games started. Only Florida State and Oklahoma State have more combined starts by their linemen than Tennessee coming into this season, while N.C State came in ranked eighth-most in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Tennessee’s line is anchored by center Cooper Mays, starting for his fourth straight season. Mays has not allowed a sack in 15 straight games.

Lots of options

Tennessee’s depth chart makes clear just how many options Iamaleava has at his disposal, with “OR” used prominently on the depth chart at all three wide receiver slots and at tight end. At tight end alone, Iamaleava can look at Ethan Davis, Holden Staes or Miles Kitselman, all 6-foot-4 or taller. Staes started at Notre Dame last year, while Kitselman spent the past two seasons at Alabama.

At receiver, the Vols have even more targets. Bru McCoy is a sixth-year receiver back after a season-ending injury against South Carolina last year. Dont’e Thornton, who transferred in last year from Oregon, missed the last four games of 2023 injured. Chris Brazzell II is among seven FBS transfers from the portal.

Regional vibes

The game in Charlotte’s home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers takes place in a valuable recruiting market for both teams. N.C. State has 20 players from the area, including six starters, while Tennessee has long plucked top prospects from its neighboring state.

“These are great games,” Doeren said. “As a coach, you’re tested. Your staff against their staff. You’ve got good players on both sides. It’s a game that’s obviously played in our state against a team whose state line touches ours. So there’s a lot to play for in a game like this.”

Top weapon

N.C. State’s KC Concepcion — one of those Wolfpack players from Charlotte — sparked a surge during the second half of last season with his explosiveness and big-play ability. He’s opened his second college season with a fast start, too.

Concepcion had three touchdowns in the Western Carolina win, and now has multiple scoring catches in six of his 14 career games.

“He has elite speed, really good hands and makes plays,” Heupel said. “They do a good job of moving him around and finding him space to move around.”

Fast starts

The Vols thrive best when they get the jump on an opponent. They have outscored teams 465-169 in the first quarter under Heupel, including 24-0 in their opening win to start this season.

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AP Sports Writers Teresa Walker and Aaron Beard contributed to this report.

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