TENNESSEE FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES
Sept. 26, 2026 | Knoxville, Tenn. | Neyland Stadium
FINAL SCORE: No. 14/13 Tennessee 17, No. 1/1 Texas 20
General Notes
- Saturday’s attendance at Neyland Stadium: 101,915 (sold out)
- Neyland Stadium was sold out for the 30th consecutive contest, a streak that dates back to Sept. 17, 2022.
- Tennessee’s all-time on-field record fell to 897-423-53 with Saturday’s loss (NCAA record: 886-423-53).
- Tennessee’s record against No. 1 teams in the Associated Press poll fell to 2-18 with Saturday’s loss. Tennessee is now 3-19 against No. 1 teams in any poll (AP/Coaches/CFP).
- Tennessee and Texas met on the gridiron for the fourth time in series history, and Saturday’s contest was the first on-campus meeting between the two programs. The three previous matchups occurred at the 1969, 1953 and 1951 Cotton Bowls, with Texas winning the two most recent.
- Saturday’s television broadcast was the Volunteers’ first noon kickoff on ABC inside Neyland Stadium since Sept. 19, 1992, when they beat Florida.
- Tennessee donned its traditional orange jersey tops and white pants for Saturday’s contest. During the Josh Heupel era (since 2021), UT owns a 22-4 record when wearing that uniform combination.
Vol Captains/Coin Toss
- Tennessee’s team captains for Saturday’s game: RB DeSean Bishop, LS Bennett Brady, LB Arion Carter, LB Jeremiah Telander
- Tennessee won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. Texas received the opening kickoff, and Tennessee defended the south end zone.
Team Offensive Notes
- The Volunteers have scored on their opening drive in each game this season, all in fewer than three-and-a-half minutes. The average time of possession on those four game-opening scoring drives in 2026 is 185.7 seconds (3:06).
Individual Offensive Notes
- Junior WR Mike Matthews scored the Volunteers’ first offensive touchdown of the afternoon, catching a 30-yard strike from freshman QB Faizon Brandon in the front corner of the end zone. It marked the third touchdown of the season for Matthews.
- Matthews finished with four catches for 72 yards and a score. It marked the fourth time in his career he reached all of those figures in a contest, including the second against an SEC (or FBS) foe, alongside an Oct. 25, 2025, game at Kentucky.
Team Defensive Notes
- The Volunteers recorded six sacks in the contest, their fifth time reaching that number in the Heupel era, including the second in just four games this year.
- It is the third time Tennessee has posted six-plus against an SEC (or any FBS) opponent during Heupel’s tenure, including the second in a regulation affair. The other occurrences were on Sept. 27, 2025, in an overtime win at Mississippi State and on Sept. 30, 2025, in a victory over South Carolina.
- Tennessee finished with 10 TFLs. It marked the program’s first time reaching double figures against an SEC opponent since amassing 11 in an overtime triumph at Mississippi State on Sept. 27, 2025.
- For the fourth time in the Heupel era—two are this season—Tennessee had six-plus sacks and double-digit TFLs in a game. This marked the first instance in a regulation game versus an SEC (or FBS) opponent.
- The other instances were against Furman on Sept. 9, 2025, in an overtime game against Mississippi State on Sept. 27, 2025; and against Austin Peay on Sept. 9, 2023.
- The Volunteers limited Texas to a 3-of-12 mark on third down and held the Longhorns to just 14 total first downs.
- Tennessee allowed just 61 rushing yards on the day, its fourth-lowest mark conceded to an SEC opponent in the Heupel era.
- The only prior conference games in which Tennessee allowed fewer yards were at Oklahoma (36) on Sept. 21, 2024; against Texas A&M (54) on Oct. 14, 2023; and at LSU (55) on Oct. 8, 2022.
- In total, this was just the sixth time in the last 18 seasons (2009-26) the Volunteers held an SEC foe to fewer than 65 rushing yards.
- Along with the aforementioned games in the Heupel era, Tennessee achieved the feat at Vanderbilt (53) on Dec. 12, 2020, and against Florida (19) on Dec. 5, 2020. It did not do so from 2009-19.
Individual Defensive Notes
- In the first quarter alone, senior DL Tyree Weathersby and junior DL Xavier Gilliam teamed up on two occasions for a combo sack.
- Weathersby finished with 2.5 sacks on the day. His 2.5 TFLs set a career best, while his six tackles matched his top mark.
- Junior DL Xavier Gilliam finished with two TFLs, his top collegiate total against an FBS opponent.
- Gilliam’s prior FBS high was 1.5 against FIU on Sept. 9, 2025, while at Penn State. His top tally in any game was 5.0 versus Furman on Sept. 5, 2026, in his first contest as a Volunteer.
- Senior DB Kayin Lee registered his first interception as a Volunteer—it marked the fourth of his career—with 12:07 left in the second quarter.
- In addition to scoring a touchdown on a punt return, sophomore DB Qua Moss tied career highs with five total tackles, four solo tackles and one PBU.
- Senior LB Arion Carter led Tennessee with 11 total tackles. His efforts will contribute $4,697 in donations to Nashville-area cancer treatments at Sisters Network Nashville.
- His donation total for the year is now $12,029.
- Carter’s 11 tackles marked the third-highest figure of his career and gave him double digit stops for the fourth time as a collegian.
- Junior DL Carson Gentle set career highs with five total tackles and four solo tackles. His prior bests were two and one, respectively.
Special Teams Notes
- DB Qua Moss returned a punt for 57 yards for a touchdown with 11:14 left in the third quarter. The return was the longest of his collegiate career, as well as his first career touchdown.
- Moss’ punt return was the longest by a Volunteer since Dee Williams had a 73-yarder at Vanderbilt on Nov. 26, 2022.
- Prior to Saturday, Williams was the only Tennessee player in the Heupel era with a punt return touchdown. Along with the aforementioned score against the Commodores, he had the most recent one by a Volunteer versus Texas A&M on Oct. 14, 2023.
- Moss’ punt return was the longest by a Volunteer since Dee Williams had a 73-yarder at Vanderbilt on Nov. 26, 2022.
- Fifth-year P Jackson Ross converted a successful onside kick for the Volunteers with 1:22 remaining. Senior LB Arion Carter recovered the ball at the Tennessee 49-yard-line.
Career Highs
The following players set or tied career highs in the respective statistical categories listed below:
Offense
- TE DaSaahn Brame
- 3 receptions (ties career high)
Defense/Special Teams
- DL Tyree Weathersby
- 2.5 sacks
- 2.5 TFLs
- 6 tackles (ties career high)
- DB Kayin Lee
- 1 interception (ties career high)
- DL Daevin Hobbs
- 1.5 TFLs (ties career high)
- DB Qua Moss
- 1 touchdown
- 57-yard long punt return
- 5 tackles (ties career high)
- 4 solo tackles (ties career high)
- 1 PBU (ties career high)
- DL Carson Gentle
- 5 tackles
- 4 solo tackles
- DL Isaiah Campbell
- 0.5 sacks (ties career high)
