Tennessee football vs. Ball State in season opener: Final score, full game updates

Tennessee's second football season under Josh Heupel has arrived.

The Vols will play Ball State at 7 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium. It airs on SEC Network.

Tennessee football plays Ball State to start Josh Heupel's second season: Live score updates

Postgame

GAME RECAP: Tennessee football, Hendon Hooker blast Ball State in season-opening rout

JOHN ADAMS: Tennessee Vols exceed expectations. Ball State as bad as billed. No surprises.

REPORT CARD: Tennessee football vs. Ball State report card: Vols ace test with Pitt on horizon

4th quarter

FINAL: Tennessee 59, Ball State 10. A trip to Pitt looms in nine days. The Panthers are in a dogfight. Stay tuned for John Adams' column and all the analysis from tonight's game.

1:40 left: Tayven Jackson and now Gaston Moore have played at quarterback in the fourth quarter. Moore just gunned a pass over the middle to Jack Jancek for a first down.

Meanwhile, West Virginia leads Pitt with 8:37 left. That's on ESPN.

2:55 left: Ball State kicks a 25-yard field goal. It is 59-10.

13:04 left: West Virginia has just tied the game at Pitt. 24-all as the fourth quarter begins.

13:40 left: Mainly reserve offensive players in for the Vols in the final quarter. And Jimmy Holiday has a 53-yard catch-and-run touchdown reception over the middle. Joe Milton has looked comfortable in two drives. Vols lead 59-7.

3rd quarter

1:48 left: Dylan Sampson was the focal point of this drive. He had a 19-yard catch, and his 2-yard touchdown run puts UT up 52-7.

7:55 left: Joe Milton is in at QB. Hendon Hooker's night is done. Not a bad start to the 2022 season for Hooker at all.

8:00 left: Ball State is on the board. Tanner Koziol catches a 3-yard pass just inside the end zone line on the right side. Tennessee 45, Ball State 7.

11:52 left: Jaylen Wright bursts for a long gain, then finishes the Vols' first second-half drive with a touchdown run. Vols 45, Ball State zero.

Wright now has 86 rushing yards tonight. By the way, West Virginia has taken the lead at Pitt, early third quarter.

13:15 left: Vols get the ball to start second half. Attendance is 92,236.

2nd quarter

HALFTIME: Tennessee 38, Ball State 0.

Some halftime stats...

Hendon Hooker: 17-23, 211 yards and four TDs (two passing, two rushing)

Jabari Small: 13 carries, 63 yards and a TD

Cedric Tillman: 5 catches, 59 yards

Bru McCoy: 3 catches, 41 yards

Aaron Beasley: 8 total tackles and a QB hurry

32 seconds left: Ball State's Will Jones nearly scores on a screen, but it is ruled after review that he lost control of the ball before crossing the end zone line. The ball hit the pylon after it was fumbled, and it's a touchback. Tennessee ball.

1:45 left: Touchdown Tennessee! Hendon Hooker to Walker Merrill on a simple post route. Merrill was wide open for his first collegiate touchdown, a 16-yard catch. Vols 38, Ball State no score.

4:19 left: Kamal Hadden picks off Ball State's John Paddock on a soft fly ball thrown down the right sideline. Getting ugly now. Tennessee's defense is playing well.

4:33 left: Touchdown Tennessee! Jabari Small's first TD of the year from 7 yards out with a big-time pile push. Vols had a short field. Six plays, 53 yards. Vols 31, Ball State no score.

8:24 left: Tennessee starts its next drive with an OPI of its own, which leads to a three-and-out. Paxton Brooks is punting for the first time.

9:40 left: Ball State has to punt in UT territory after a questionable offensive pass interference penalty on fourth down (Vol fans wouldn't want that called on Tennessee receivers) after a really good catch. Vols defense has good team speed tonight, though the pass rush is yet to make its mark.

14:29 left: Touchdown Tennessee. Hendon Hooker has his second TD run of the day, from three yards out. He has three total TDs in a quarter and change. Vols 24, Ball State 0.

Bru McCoy is going to be difficult to tackle in the open field. Looks and plays strong with the ball. He has two catches for 28 yards thus far.

1st quarter

End of the quarter: Vols lead 17-0. Ramel Keyton's 32-yard catch helps Tennessee into Ball State territory. The Vols will have 2nd and 4 from the Ball State 28 to start the second quarter.

4:02 left: Touchdown Tennessee! Hendon Hooker keeps it from a yard out after a Ball State defensive pass interference penalty. Vols 17, Ball State 0.

5:15 left: Tennessee goes for it on 4th and 1, and Jabari Small shoots through a hole on the right side for the first down.

6:21 left: Ball State goes for it on 4th and 1 from its own territory...and fails. A QB sneak manages nothing. Vols have the ball on the Ball State 34.

8:03 left: Quick drive for the Vols offense after the turnover on downs, and it results in a Chase McGrath 33-yard field goal. Key plays were first down pickups by Cedric Tillman and Jabari Small.

9:48 left: Ball State's 12-play drive ends with a fourth down pass out of bounds. Tennessee gets the ball back at its own 38.

14:37 left: One play later, touchdown Tennessee! Jalin Hyatt with a 23-yard catch and run.

14:46 left: Tennessee's defense is already making plays. Tamarion McDonald picks off a Ball State pass after a reverse flea flicker.

PREGAME: The Vols are running through the T. Neyland Stadium is filling up. It's time to begin the 2022 Tennessee Vols football season.

A Twitter List by AdamSparks

Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football final score, updates vs Ball State in season opener