Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt: Game information, notes, storylines
Off of two-straight losses by 28-plus points, Tennessee is looking to end its regular season on a high note.
The No. 21 Vols (7-4, 3-4 SEC) host Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7) at Neyland Stadium on Saturday with an opportunity to win eight games for consecutive seasons and likely lock up a Florida bowl game next month.
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Tennessee has struggled on both sides of the ball in each of its last two outings. Offensively, the Vols have combined for just 24 points and hasn’t been able to lean on it’s typically reliable run game.
The defense has been just as ineffective, allowing an average of nearly 300 passing yards vs. Missouri and Georgia.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile has had a forgettable season. The Commodores were idle last week but have lost nine games in a row since starting the season 2-0 and have yet to win in conference play.
Here is a closer look at the match up.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7) at No. 21 Tennessee (7-4, 3-4)
When: Saturday, Nov. 25 | 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Neyland Stadium | Knoxville
TV: SEC Network (Dave Neal, play-by-play; Derek Mason, analyst; Taylor Davis, reporter)
Line: Tennessee -27
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Tennessee 94.9%
Series: Tennessee leads, 79-32-5
PREGAME NOTES
-- Tennessee's home streak ended at 14 games last week in the Vols' 38-10 loss to No. 1 Georgia. Still, Tennessee is 17-4 in its last 21 games at Neyland Stadium dating back to 2021. Vanderbilt is 1-11 in SEC road games under head coach Clark Lea.
-- A Tennessee win on Saturday would lock up a solo third place finished in the SEC East. It will also mark the Vols' last game in the eastern division with the league eliminating divisions upon the arrival of Texas and Oklahoma in 2024.
THE VOLREPORT SHOW: Game preview with Chris Lee of VandySports.com
-- Tennessee can finish at .500 in conference play for the third-straight season on Saturday, something the Vols haven't done since a commanding streak between 1989-2004.
-- Two-straight losses has dropped Tennessee the rankings, though the Vols remain in all three major polls. Tennessee fell to No. 21 in the latest College Football Playoff Top 25 this week and No. 25 in the Associated Press poll. The Vols have been ranked in the last nine CFP rankings since October 2022 and 28-straight weeks in the AP.
KEY PLAYERS
TENNESSEE:
Joe Milton III, QB
Stats: 207-of-321 passing, 2,430 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs, 67.1 QBR
Jaylen Wright, RB
Stats: 126 carries, 938 yards, 4 TDs, 7.4 AVG
Jacob Warren, TE
Stats: 12 receptions, 100 yards, 3 TDs, 8.3 AVG
Tyler Baron, DE
Stats: 27 tackles, 95. TFLs, 5 sacks
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Everything Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said about upcoming clash with Vols
VANDERBILT:
Ken Seals, QB
Stats: 98-of-170 passing, 1,122 yards, 10 TDs, 4 INTs, 38.1 QBR
AJ Swann, QB
Stats: 93-of-173 passing, 1,290 yards, 11 TDs, 7 INTs, 34.1 QBR
Will Sheppard, WR
Stats: 45 receptions, 640 yards, 8 TDs, 14.2 AVG
Langston Patterson, LB
Stats: 66 tackles, 8 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT
BY THE NUMBERS
205.5: The average number of rushing yards Tennessee's defense has allowed in its last two games. The Vols previously led the SEC in stopping the run but currently rank fourth.
86: The number of tackles for loss by Tennessee through 11 games. The Vols have recorded at least 4.0 TFL in 23-straight games dating to the 2022 season.
34: The number of sacks by Tennessee this season, which ranks second in the SEC and eighth nationally. The Vols have averaged at least one sack per game in its last 15 games.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Which Tennessee seniors are out of eligibility and which can return
22: The number of games that the Tennessee offense has produced at least 200 rushing yards, including seven of 11 games this season.
176.0: The average number of rushing yards that the Vanderbilt defense has allowed per game this season. The Commodores allow an average of 192.2 yards vs. SEC teams.
STORYLINES
1,000-yard mark: Jaylen Wright is closing in on 1,000 yards. The Tennessee running back has rushed for 938 yards on 126 carries and leads the FBS with 7.4 yards per carry. He needs 62 more yards to becoming the Vols' first 1,000-yard rusher since Jalen Hurd in 2015.
Limping to the finish line: Tennessee has been plagued by injuries throughout the season. The Vols have had to shuffle along the offensive line, wide receiver, linebacker and in the secondary, forcing a number of underclassmen into bigger roles.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Garner sees 'unfinished business' for potential returning defensive linemen
Decisions to make: Tennessee has 14 seniors playing in their final game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday while 20 others have the option to return due to the COVID 2020 season, including wide receiver Bru McCoy, offensive lineman Cooper Mays and defensive linemen Tyler Baron and Omari Thomas.
QB questions: Vanderbilt has started two quarterbacks this season in AJ Swann and Ken Seals. Seals is the veteran of the two while Swann is a sophomore. Swann started the first five games before being replaced with Seals, though Lea hasn't publicly committed to either ahead of playing Tennessee. Swann started against the Vols last season, finishing 11-of-17 passing for 79 yards before Mike Wright took over.
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