Tennessee running back Star Thomas put on a show in the first half of his Neyland Stadium debut on Saturday afternoon against ETSU. The former Duke transfer had three touchdowns on the ground in the first half of play, with one in the first quarter and two in the second quarter.
Thomas’s three rushing touchdowns helped Tennessee head into the halftime break with a 48-7 lead over ETSU.
Through the first two quarters, Thomas has 69 yards and three scores on just 12 attempts. He put together his first trip to the endzone on a two-yard rush, elevating the Vols’ lead over the Bucs to 17-0. Thomas then returned to the endzone early in the second quarter with another two-yard rush.
another one! ⭐️
Star adds his second TD of the afternoon
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📲 https://t.co/vU5Soj3zWw pic.twitter.com/Bkg3Rr473j— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) September 6, 2025
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His final scoring play of the first half capped off an eight-play, 75-yard drive that Tennessee ran with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. It was a seven-yard touchdown run.
Tennessee’s entire running backs room has been a bright spot on the team through the first six quarters of the season, but Thomas’s addition has been a very welcome x-factor. He had a game-high rushing total of 92 yards in the Vols’ season-opening win over Syracuse and also found a score through the air on a broken play with quarterback Joey Aguilar.
Thomas began his career at New Mexico State for two seasons before transferring to Duke in 2024. He then joined the Tennessee football team through the transfer portal prior to the 2025 season. He is a six-foot running back from Homer, LA.
No. 22 Tennessee currently leads ETSU by a score of 48-7 during the halftime break.
