Walk-on Will Brooks made the first interception of his career.

The Tennessee football safety intercepted a pass from NC State quarterback Grayson McCall on Saturday and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown. Brooks’ interception return gave Tennessee a 17-3 lead late in the second quarter after the Wolfpack entered UT’s red zone at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Brooks’ pick-six was the 10th longest in program history and the longest since Daniel Bituli caught a 97-yard pass at Alabama in 2017.

The pass was intended for NC State tight end Justin Joly. Tennessee edge rusher Joshua Josephs put pressure on McCall, forcing him to throw high. Brooks flew at Joly and intercepted the pass. He outran McCall to the sideline and ran off with ease for the touchdown.

It was UT’s first pick-six since James Pearce Jr. against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. Pearce turned the interception into a 52-yard touchdown.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilsonIf you like Mike’s reporting, consider a digital subscription that gives you access to all content.

This article originally appeared in the Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee Football: Will Brooks scores interception touchdown return against NC State