NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Within minutes, Tennessee's College Football Playoff hopes were hanging by a thread.

On Saturday afternoon at FirstBank Stadium on Nashville's West End, there were almost too many moments to count on what kept them intact for the No. 8 Vols in their regular season finale at Vanderbilt.

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The defensive stand that cost the Commodores' fourth down gamble at midfield was one. Jermod McCoy's interception in the end zone with Vanderbilt trying to add to a two-score lead was another. Max Gilbert bouncing a 50-yard field goal off of the cross bar and in to pull within one possession could have been it, too.

Regardless, it was a series of fortunes--some gifted, some earned--that brought Tennessee back to life after it seemed left for dead in the first quarter and now in the playoff with a 36-23 triumph of Vanderbilt.

Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC), which trailed 17-7 at one point, totaled nearly 500 yards of total offense as quarterback Nico Iamaleava finished 18-of-26 passing for 257 yards and four touchdowns.

Two of those scores were passes of 28 and 86 yards to Dont'e Thornton Jr., who tallied 118 receiving yards. His 86-yard score was the longest passing touchdown for Tennessee since 2003.

Dylan Sampson passed the 100-yard threshold for the 10th time this season, rushing for 178 yards on 25 carries, surpassing Travis Stephens for the most rushing yards in a single season 1,464 yards in the process.

Defensively, Tennessee forced one turnover--an acrobatic interception by Jermod McCoy in the end zone to takeaway a scoring opportunity for Vanderbilt in the first half--while Tyre West forced a safety to extend the Vols' lead in the third quarter.

Tennessee held elusive Vanderbilt (6-6, 3-5) quarterback Diego Pavia to just 104 passing yards and 45 rushing yards. The Commodores finished with 212 yards of total offense.

FIRST QUARTER

Vanderbilt - 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:00 (time of possession)

It took 13 seconds from the time Junior Sherrill hauled in the opening kickoff and raced the length of the field to make an early statement for Vanderbilt. Sherrill took back Josh Turbyville's kick 100 yards to put the Commodores in front right out of the gate, putting Tennessee on the offensive early.

Vanderbilt 7, Tennessee 0

Vanderbilt - 7 plays, 26 yards, 3:52

The start of the quarter went from bad to worse for Tennessee. On the Vols' opening possession, Dylan Sampson had the ball ripped out at the end of a run and Vanderbilt recovered at the 26-yard line. Seven plays and a few third down conversions later, Sedrick Alexander paid off the takeaway with a 4-yard touchdown run.

Vanderbilt 14, Tennessee 0

Tennessee - 5 plays, 73 yards, 1:29

Tennessee desperately needed an answer on its second drive. It got one. After a pre-snap penalty and tackle for loss backed the Vols up to their own 49 on third-and-14, Nico Iamaleava connected with Chris Brazzell II over the middle of the field for a gain of 21 yards. On the next play, Iamaleava hit Dont'e Thornton Jr. downfield for a 28-yard touchdown.

Vanderbilt 14, Tennessee 7

Vanderbilt - 9 plays, 61 yards, 4:47

Tennessee's defense struggled to slow Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt down on their next offensive possession. Pavia completed a 15-yard pass on third down to Eli Stowers to keep the Commodores on the field and picked up another first down later in the drive with his legs. The Vols were able to hold them inside the 25, but Brock Taylor made a 32-yard field goal to extend the lead.

Vanderbilt 17, Tennessee 7

SECOND QUARTER

Tennessee - 6 plays, 21 yards, 2:59

Tennessee was reeling again on defense with Vanderbilt moving the ball to midfield again, aided this time by a roughing the passer penalty on Joshua Josephs on third down. The Commodores decided to gamble on fourth-and-2, keeping the offense on the field, but Pavia was wrapped up and then hit--appropriately--by Josephs that push him back to get the stop. Back-to-back motion penalties might have prevented a touchdown on the Vols' ensuing possession, but Max Gilbert knocked through a 50-yard field goal that bounced off of the crossbar and in to cut the deficit to one score.

Vanderbilt 17, Tennessee 10

Tennessee - 2 plays, 91 yards, 0:32

In just two plays, Tennessee changed its fortunes over midway through the quarter. Iamaleava linked up with Thornton for the second time and this time Thornton raced 86 yards, helped by a block from freshman wide receiver Mike Matthews and scored to even it up with 6:38 to go in the half.

Tennessee 17, Vanderbilt 17

Tennessee - 10 plays, 96 yards, 2:17

Tennessee started the drive backed up to its own end zone, then went nearly the length of the field, chewing up clock and taking its first lead on a textbook two-minute drill just before the half. Iamaleava tossed his third touchdown pass of the first half on an 18-yard pass to Miles Kitselman with 22 seconds to go before the intermission.

Tennessee 24, Vanderbilt 17

THIRD QUARTER

Tennessee - 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:17

Tennessee's onslaught that started early in the second quarter continued into the third with another lengthy drive, this one largely without Sampson, who exited the drive after taking a hit and without Thornton, who missed the rest of the game with an upper body injury. DeSean Bishop got a bulk of the carries on the drive, then Iamaleava passed for his fourth touchdown to Matthews to stretch the Vols' lead to two scores with 8:43 remaining in the quarter.

Tennessee 31, Vanderbilt 17

Tennessee - 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:00

For the first time since the first quarter, Tennessee's offense showed signs of mortality late in the quarter. A drive stalled on Vanderbilt's side of the field, but Jackson Ross' punt hit at the 1-yard line then took a generous bounce before resting at the 4. A few plays later, Tyre West corralled Alexander in the end zone for a safety.

Tennessee 33, Vanderbilt 17

FOURTH QUARTER

Tennessee - 13 plays, 46 yards, 7:46

After the safety, Tennessee got the ball back and marched it back down the field before stalling out inside the 10. Gilbert pushed the Vols' lead to three scores with a 22-yard field goal with 8:24 left.

Tennessee 36, Vanderbilt 17

Vanderbilt - 4 plays, 63 yards, 2:25

Vanderbilt tried to manufacture any kind of momentum to stay in the game as the clock ticked inside of six minutes. The Commodores found some with Pavia's 31-yard touchdown pass to Richie Hoskins with 5:53 to go to make it a two-possession game. The two point try failed.

Tennessee 36, Vanderbilt 23

Tennessee will await its seeding in the playoff in two weeks.

The Vols are in after being ranked No. 8 in the latest playoff rankings last week and are in position to move up after beating Vanderbilt, but the final top 25 and a bracket won't be settled until conference championship games are settled next Saturday.

As it stands, Tennessee would play Georgia at Sanford Stadium in the first round, though that's subject to change.

The next playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

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