STARKVILLE, MS – Tennessee Football returns to SEC play on Saturday afternoon with its first true road test of the season. The Volunteers are in Starkville, MS, for a matchup with the Mississippi State Bulldogs from Davis Wade Stadium.
Tennessee is looking to play spoiler to Mississippi State’s undefeated start to the season while picking up its first SEC win of the season at the same time. Quarterback Joey Aguilar will lead the Volunteers’ offense in his fifth game with the Big Orange.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider throughout the game for live, on-site coverage of all the action.
Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) Season Results:
- Game 1: No. 24 Tennessee (45) vs Syracuse (26) – W [Atlanta]
- Game 2: East Tennessee State (17) at No. 22 Tennessee (72) – W
- Game 3: No. 6 Georgia (44) at No. 15 Tennessee (41) OT – L
- Game 4: UAB (24) at No. 15 Tennessee (56) – W
CURRENT SCORE: 4th Quarter – Mississippi State 34, Tennessee 34 (Updates Paused for Press Conference Setup. Follow @RockyTopInsider on X for live updates.
Live tweets on X -> https://twitter.com/RockyTopInsider
More from RTI: Tennessee Football’s Depth Chart for Road Game at Mississippi State
Pregame
Mississippi State wins the toss, will receive to start the game.
Tennessee captains: LS Bennett Brady, LB Jeremiah Telander, OL Lance Heard, DL Bryson Eason
FIRST QUARTER
MSU Drive 1: Punt – UT 0, MSU 0
- State goes three-and-out. Tennessee’s defense was everywhere. Ends the drive with a sack on QB Blake Shapen.
- 3 plays, -6 yards
- UT WR Braylon Staley muffs the punt, MSU recovers
MSU Drive 2: Touchdown Mississippi State – MSU 7, UT 0
- The muffed punt gave State great field position, and an unsportsmanlike penalty from Joshua Josephs didn’t help. Bulldogs run it in from five yards out.
- Fluff Bothwell 5-yard TD run
- 5 plays, 20 yards
UT Drive 1: Tennessee Field Goal GOOD – MSU 7, UT 3
- UT marches down the field but gets stuck near the red zone.
- Max Gilbert 38-yard FG is GOOD
- 7 plays, 55 yards
MSU Drive 3: Punt – MSU 7, UT 3
- Tennessee gets another three-and-out. Aside from the good start with the muffed punt, Vols have shut down MSU’s offense.
- 3 plays, 7 yards
- MSU’s punt rolls all the way to the UT one-yard line. Tough break.
UT Drive 2: Punt – MSU 7, UT 3
- Tennessee tries to get cute with a 3rd and 2 and ends up with an incompletion. Vols punt.
- 5 plays, 50 yards
- Impact Play: Tennessee gets off its own 3-yard line with a deep pass to Mike Matthews down the middle of the field.
MSU Drive 4: TENNESSEE PICK-SIX – UT 10, MSU 7
- Colton Hood gets the tip deflection and takes it 17 yards to the house. Bryson Eason brings the pressure. Tennessee’s defense is playing great.
- 3 plays, 5 yards
-END OF THE FIRST QUARTER-
MSU Drive 5: Touchdown Mississippi State – MSU 14, UT 10
- Mississippi State takes a long, methodical drive down the field. Converted multiple third downs.
- Booth with the 5-yard TD rush
- 15 plays, 75 yards
UT Drive 3: Punt – MSU 14, UT 10
- Tennessee’s drive stalls out. Mike Matthews drops an open deep shot from Joey Aguilar that would’ve been six.
- 6 plays, 19 yards
MSU Drive 6: MSU Field Goal Good – MSU 17, UT 10
- Mississippi State drills a 50-yard field goal straight down the middle.
- 8 plays, 51 yards
UT Drive 4: TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – UT 17, MSU 17
- QB Joey Aguilar connects with WR Chris Brazzell for a 15-yard touchdown down the middle of the field. Nice read from Aguilar.
- 4 plays, 75 yards
MSU Drive 7: Punt – UT 17, MSU 17
- Tennessee comes up with two big sacks to force State into a punting situation. Vols needed a stop and got one. Run defense has not looked great in the first half.
- 7 plays, 27 yards
UT Drive 5: UT Missed Field Goal – UT 17, MSU 17
- Max Gilbert’s 47-yard field goal attempt is wide left. Turnover on downs.
- Impact play: Chris Brazzell makes an unreal catch to give Tennessee a big chunk gain.
- Impact play: Tennessee converts a 4th and 2 for 21 yards. Aguilar to Star Thomas.
MSU Drive 8: Punt – UT 17, MSU 17
- 3 plays, 9 yards
UT Drive 6: Kneel Down – UT 17, MSU 17
-HALFTIME IN STARKVILLE: UT 17, MSU 17-
UT Drive 7: Tennessee Field Goal GOOD – UT 20, MSU 17
- Tennessee gets down the field with a little help from a hands-to-the-face penalty. Drive stalled out in the red zone.
- Gilbert knocks down a 27-yard field goal to put Tennessee on top.
- 10 plays, 66 yards
MSU Drive 9: Mississippi State Field Goal NO GOOD – UT 20, MSU 17
- Tennessee’s defense bends but doesn’t break. Forces State into a field goal.
- Field goal is NO GOOD from 42.
- 11 plays, 51 yards
- Impact Play: Colton Hood running down a running back who was almost to green grass.
UT Drive 8: Tennessee Interception – UT 20, MSU 17
- Joey Aguilar’s pass goes off the hands of Miles Kitselman and into State’s hands. Lance Heard then flagged for a late hit after the play. Massive turn of events.
- 3 plays, 29 yards
- Impact Play: Mike Matthews takes a screen pass 36 yards down the sideline
- Impact Play: Joey Aguilar gets sacked for a loss of seven.
MSU Drive 10: Touchdown Mississippi State – MSU 24, UT 20
- State gets a touchdown off the great field position from the turnover and penalty.
- Bothwell takes it in from one yard out
- 4 plays, 26 yards
UT Drive 9: Tennessee Punt – MSU 24, UT 20
- OPI call on Brazzell sets up Tennessee way behind the sticks. Vols can’t recover. Punt it away.
- 5 plays, 11 yards
- Impact Play: Chris Brazzell called for OPI on a deep touchdown reception
-END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: MSU 24, UT 20-
MSU Drive 11: Punt – MSU 24, UT 20
- Tennessee’s defense holds firm. Vols needed that badly.
- 5 plays, 16 yards
- Mississippi State converts a FAKE PUNT to move the chains
MSU Drive 12: FUMBLE, TENNESSEE SCOOP N’ SCORE – UT 27, MSU 24
- The very play after the fake punt is a Tennessee scoop n’ score off a sack on Blake Shapen. Unbelievable turn on events.
MSU Drive 13: Mississippi State Field Goal GOOD – UT 27, MSU 27
- State moves down the field with a massive passing play, but Tennessee’s defense holds them out of the red zone.
- 38-yard field goal is GOOD
- Impact Play: MSU hits a 49-yard bomb down the field
UT Drive 10: Tennessee Turnover – UT 27, MSU 27
- Aguilar’s pass goes off the hands of Miles Kitselman and into State’s. Aguilar’s second interception today in the same manor.
- Great field position for State after the return.
- 3 plays, 6 yards
MSU Drive 14: Touchdown Mississippi State – MSU 34, UT 27
- Mississippi State takes advantage of the great field position and gets the touchdown reception to take the lead.
- This is now three drives that MSU has started inside the UT 30 and have scored touchdowns on all of them
- 5 plays, 17 yards
UT Drive 11:TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE – UT 34, MSU 34
- Joey Aguilar runs the ball in from six yards out to tie the game.
*UPDATES PAUSED TO PREPARE FOR PRESS CONFERENCE. FOLLOW @RockyTopInsider or @RSchump00 for live updates*
