Postgame Notes: #17 Tennessee 56, Kentucky 34

General Notes

• Saturday’s attendance at Kroger Field: 60,153 (bought out)
• Tennessee’s all-time on-field report improved to 892-419-53 with Saturday’s win (NCAA report: 881-419-53).
• With Saturday’s win, Tennessee secured bowl eligibility for a fifth straight season – all 5 years of the Josh Heupel period – for the primary time since 2000-04.
• Saturday marked the 121st all-time assembly between the Volunteers and Wildcats. Tennessee leads the all-time sequence on the sector, 86-26-9 – together with an ideal 5-0 report underneath Josh Heupel.

  • The Vols have performed (121 occasions) and overwhelmed Kentucky (86 occasions on area) greater than every other opponent.
  • The Vols’ 86 (on-field victories)/85 (NCAA wins) over the Wildcats rank because the fifth-most victories for one aspect in a head-to-head matchup within the FBS, behind Nebraska-Kansas (Neb.-91), Oklahoma-Oklahoma State (OU-91), Nebraska-Iowa State (Neb.- 86), Alabama-Mississippi State (UA-86).
  • Tennessee has received 5 in a row over the Wildcats with two of these victories being determined by six factors or much less.
  • Saturday marked UT’s seventh consecutive evening sport when taking part in Kentucky in Lexington, a streak that dates again to 2013 in Butch Jones’ first season.

• The Vols clinched a successful report within the month of October (2-1) and have performed so in every of the previous 4 seasons.
• After Saturday’s victory, Josh Heupel owns an 18-3 report following a loss in the identical season – together with a 13-2 mark at Tennessee (2-0 this season) and a 5-1 report at UCF.

Vol Captains/Coin Toss

First-Time Starters

• True freshman OL David Sanders Jr. made his first collegiate begin on Saturday at proper deal with. He is the primary true freshman offensive lineman to start out a sport for the Vols since Wanya Morris began at left deal with within the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Jan. 2, 2020.
• On protection, redshirt freshman LB Edwin Spillman and true freshman LB Jadon Perlotte every earned their first begins as Volunteers, changing into the primary Vol linebackers to start out a sport since Henry To’oTo’o within the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Jan. 2, 2020.
• A complete of 16 gamers – 10 on offense and 6 on protection – have made their first Tennessee begins in the course of the 2025 season.

Team Offensive Notes

• Tennessee’s 56 factors had been its most in an SEC sport since blanking Vanderbilt, 56-0, within the 2022 regular-season finale.

  • UT’s 56 factors on Saturday evening had been its most towards Kentucky since a 59-20 win over the Wildcats in 2000.

• The Vols outgained the Wildcats, 504-476, throughout Saturday’s contest. UT has put up 400 or extra yards of complete offense in all eight video games this season and 45 occasions in the course of the Josh Heupel period (2021-present).

  • UT’s 504 yards of complete offense had been its most in an SEC sport this season. The Vols have put up 500 yards in 21 video games within the Heupel period.

• Three Vol receivers cracked the century mark in Saturday’s win – Chris Brazzell II with 138 yards, Mike Matthews with 107 and Braylon Staley with 105. It is the primary time Tennessee has had three receivers surpass the 100-yard mark in a sport since Nov. 23, 2019, at Missouri. 

  • Brazzell and Matthews have surpassed 100 yards in the identical contest thrice this season (9/6 vs. ETSU, 9/27 at Mississippi State, 10/25 at Kentucky).
  • The Vols have had a number of 100-yard receivers seven occasions in the course of the Josh Heupel period (since 2021) and personal a 7-0 report in these contests.
  • Tennessee has produced 9 particular person 100-yard receiving video games this season and 34 in the course of the Heupel period.

• Tennessee scored 21 factors within the first quarter on Saturday evening, persevering with a pattern of quick begins underneath head coach Josh Heupel and have now out-scored its opponents within the opening body 121-38 this season.

  • The Vols have scored a number of first-quarter touchdowns in 5 of eight video games in 2025.

Individual Offensive Notes

• Senior QB Joey Aguilar completed Saturday’s contest finishing 20-of-26 passes for 396 yards with three touchdowns.
  

  • Aguilar’s 396 passing yards had been probably the most by a quarterback within the Heupel period and probably the most by a Vol in any sport since Jarrett Guarantano had 415 at Missouri on Nov. 23, 2019.
  • Aguilar posted his third 300-yard sport of the season and ninth of his profession. He is the primary Vol QB with three 300-yard video games in a single season since Hendon Hooker additionally had three in 2022.
  • Aguilar has thrown for not less than 200 yards in all 32 of his profession FBS begins, which is the longest present streak within the nation.
  • Aguilar has not less than one landing go in all eight video games this season and has thrown not less than one landing go in 19 consecutive video games courting again to his 2024 opener whereas taking part in for App State.

• Redshirt junior WR Chris Brazzell II led all receivers on Saturday with 138 yards – carding his fourth 100-yard of the season.
• Sophomore WR Mike Matthews posted his third 100-yard receiving effort of the season, ending with six catches for 107 yards and a landing.

  • His longest play of the evening got here on a 62-yard landing seize early within the second half. It was UT’s third go play of 60-plus yards this season.

• With lower than two minutes remaining within the fourth quarter, sophomore WR Braylon Staley broke the century mark together with his sixth catch of the evening – ending the competition with 105 yards receiving.
• In his first motion for the reason that SEC opener towards Georgia, redshirt sophomore TE Ethan Davis pulled in his first receiving landing of the yr on a 13-yard strike from Aguilar late within the first half.

  • Tight ends have scored touchdowns in 4 of the primary eight video games for the Vols this season and 5 out of the final 9 common season video games.

• All three Tennessee operating backs scored touchdowns in Saturday’s victory. Redshirt sophomore DeSean Bishop discovered the top zone twice, whereas senior Star Thomas and sophomore Peyton Lewis every posted one dashing rating.

  • It marked the third time this season that three UT operating backs scored not less than one dashing landing in the identical contest.

Team Defensive Notes

• Tennessee entered Saturday main the Power Four with 4 defensive touchdowns, and added one other with Edrees Farooq’s 45-yard pick-six with 6:56 remaining within the fourth quarter.
  

  • The Vols have tallied 13 defensive touchdowns within the Josh Heupel/Tim Banks period (2021-present) and personal an 11-0 report when recording a defensive rating.
  • This season, the Vols have produced 5 defensive touchdowns on three fumble returns and two fumble returns.

• The Vols added to their nation-leading pressured fumble rely, jarring two unfastened towards the Wildcats on Saturday. Tennessee has now pressured 13 fumbles this season.

  • UT has pressured not less than one fumble in seven of eight video games this season.
  • Tennessee has additionally recovered 9 fumbles.
  • The Vols’ 13 pressured fumbles are their most since 2017 and are probably the most within the Heupel period.

Individual Defensive Notes

• Sophomore DB Edrees Farooq logged his first profession interception on Saturday and returned it 45 yards for a landing with 6:56 remaining within the first quarter. It was the longest return play of any type by the Vols this season.
• Sophomore DB Boo Carter and redshirt sophomore DB Colton Hood every posted pressured fumbles on the identical play in Saturday’s victory – marking their third and first of the season respectively.

  • Freshman LB Jadon Perlotte in the end scooped up the unfastened ball for his second fumble restoration of the yr, producing UT’s ninth takeaway by way of fumble this season.

• In his first profession begin, redshirt freshman LB Edwin Spillman led all gamers with a career-best 15 complete tackles. He is the second Vol to report 15-plus stops in a sport this season, becoming a member of Arion Carter who had 17 at Mississippi State on Sept. 27.

Special Teams Notes

• Redshirt sophomore P Jackson Ross punted thrice on Saturday for 133 yards with an extended of 47 and one punt downed contained in the 20.
• Redshirt sophomore PK Max Gilbert was excellent on all eight of his further level makes an attempt, bettering to 98-of-98 for his profession.

Career Highs

The following gamers set or tied profession highs within the respective statistical classes listed beneath:

Offense

• RB DeSean Bishop
  

  • 2 dashing touchdowns (ties profession excessive)

• TE Ethan Davis

  • 2 receptions (ties profession excessive)
  • 1 receiving landing (ties profession excessive)

• WR Mike Matthews

  • 6 receptions (ties profession excessive)

Defense/Special Teams