NEED TO KNOW
Vols in the Polls
Tennessee enters Saturday's contest ranked 20th
in all three polls this week after moving up one spot in the AP Poll and three spots in the College Football Playoff rankings following its 42-9 Homecoming victory over New Mexico State.
The Vols have now appeared in 21 consecutive CFP rankings dating back to Nov. 2022. UT has also been ranked in the AP Poll for 32 straight weeks dating back to Dec. 3. 2023 and has spent 60 weeks in a row in the Coaches poll, marking its longest streak since appearing in 92 consecutive Coaches polls from Nov. 27, 1994 to Oct. 1 , 2000.
Airing It Out
The Vols' three-headed monster at wide receiver has been as productive as any trio in the country this season. Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Chris Brazzell II, Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year semifinalist Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews have combined for 2,301 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns on the year. UT's wideouts have combined for nine 100-yard receiving games this season, three more than the next closest SEC teams (Mississippi State & Texas A&M - 6).
Coming into this weekend, Tennessee is the only team in the Power Four that has three players with 600 or more yards receiving (Brazzell: SEC-best 873, Staley: 761, Matthews: 667). Should Matthews eclipse the 700-yard mark for the season, this year would mark the first in program history with three players surpassing 700 receiving yards.
The Defense Scores Too
Through 12 weeks, the Big Orange lead the Power Four and rank second in the FBS with six defensive touchdowns this season, a total they added to last weekend with a William Wright 35-yard interception return for a score against New Mexico State.
Under the director of defensive coordinator Tim Banks (2021-pres.), UT has scored 14 defensive touchdowns and owns a perfect 12-0 record when the defense finds pay dirt.
Hood Having Breakout Season
Redshirt sophomore Colton Hood has burst onto the scene for the Vols this season and has provided much-needed stability and production at corner in the absence of Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III. Hood was recently named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and is tied with teammate Ty Redmond for fifth in the SEC with eight pass breakups this season.
According to PFF, Hood's 85.3 coverage grade ranks second in the SEC and seventh in the FBS among corners with a minimum of 300 coverage snaps played. The McDonough, Georgia, native has also scored a pair of defensive touchdowns this year, becoming the first SEC player since 2019 to score on a pick six and a fumble return in the same season.
