When Dylan Sampson scored his second rushing touchdown and third overall of the day, John Campbell did not see his teammate soar across the goal line.
Campbell was too busy pushing a Cavalier nearly all the way to the stands as Sampson scored. Or as college football personality Cole Cubelic put it on X, ‘escorting.’
MY GOD John Campbell escorting a Cavalier to the stands🤯
I mean the UT kids are celebrating & he's rolling this dude 8 yards out of the end zone!! pic.twitter.com/aeOS0MAltV
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) September 2, 2023
Campbell continued blocking the Virginia player through the end zone and all the way to the back wall in Nissan Stadium, despite the fact that Sampson had crossed the goal line a full five seconds before Campbell finally took the Cavalier to the ground.
Campbell’s play sent Vol Twitter into a frenzy, with multiple accounts expressing their love for the type of effort Campbell showed.
John Campbell politely showing the Virginia defender where the snack bar is pic.twitter.com/nY3WJVsCFG
— VOLS🍊🥥 (@VolBlood) September 2, 2023
John Campbell literally just sent #3 for Virginia into the Nissan Stadium Wall, OMG🤯
— Vol Scoops (@VolScoops) September 2, 2023
Tennessee OL John Campbell Jr. puts a Virginia player in the stands. SHEESH 😳 pic.twitter.com/snzaUqDNra
— Vol Report (@AllVolReport) September 2, 2023
Tennessee #Vols left tackle John Campbell threw this dude out of the club. pic.twitter.com/L8y3lvwu0E
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) September 2, 2023
The play is strikingly similar to the infamous Michael Oher ‘blindside block’ or ‘excessive blocking’ play that was featured on the movie, The Blind Side.
“He Michael Oher’d him,” Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III said about Campbell’s play. “That’s what everyone was saying in the locker room. Just to have someone like John on our team is great, and you obviously see what he can do and what he brings to the team.”
It wasn’t a fun play for that Virginia player, and it wasn’t a fun day for the Virginia Cavaliers football team.
More From RTI: WATCH: Joe Milton III Throws Nasty Stiff Arm Against Virginia
The Vols dominated the ACC squad 49-13 in a game that was never close. Despite some early mistakes and frankly poor play from the Tennessee offense, there was never a doubt the Vols would win their season opener.
Tennessee’s defense suffocated Virginia’s offense, limiting the Cavaliers 201 total yards and 3.1 yards per play. Tim Banks’ unit sacked Tony Muskett three times and gave up their first touchdown at the end of the third quarter.
On the other hand, Campbell protected for a Tennessee offense that found its groove late in the first half and cruised in the second.
Tennessee’s balanced offense had success in the passing and running game, as the Vols passed for 212 yards and ran for 287.
Running backs Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson stood out more than anybody for the Vols’ offense. Wright carried the ball 12 times for 115 yards (9.6), with his longest rush being 21 yards, and Sampson logged 13 carries for 52 yards and three scores along with one touchdown catch for nine yards.
Campbell and the rest of Tennessee’s offense will look to follow up today’s strong performance next week in Neyland Stadium when they host Austin Peay at 5 p.m. ET.
