American college football season
The 2021 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Volunteers played their home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee , and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year coach Josh Heupel .
Recruiting class
Ranking
Position
Name
Home State
★★★★
OT
Addison Nichols
Georgia
★★★★
QB
Tayven Jackson
Indiana
★★★★
WR
Cameron Miller
Tennessee
★★★
EDGE
Joshua Josephs
Georgia
★★★
TE
Brody Foley
Ohio
★★★
WR
Marquarius (Squirrel) White
Alabama
★★★
WR
Chas Nimrod
Arkansas
★★★
RB
Dylan Sampson
Louisiana
★★★
OG
Mo Clipper Jr.
Georgia
★★★
OT
Brian Grant
Florida
★★★
OG
Masai Reddick
Michigan
★★★
DT
Jordan Phillips
Florida
★★★
LB
Elijah Herring
Tennessee
★★★
LB
Kalib Perry
Kentucky
Coaching staff
Schedule
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance 8:00 p.m. Bowling Green * SECN W 38–6 84,314
September 11 Noon Pittsburgh * Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN ESPN L 34–41 82,203
September 18 Noon Tennessee Tech * Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN ESPN+ /SECN+ W 56–0 80,053
September 25 7:00 p.m. at No. 11 Florida ESPN L 14–38 88,478
October 2 Noon at Missouri SECN W 62–24 45,655
October 9 Noon South Carolina Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (rivalry ) ESPN2 W 45–20 89,437
October 16 7:30 p.m. No. 13 Ole Miss Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (rivalry ) SECN L 26–31 102,455
October 23 7:00 p.m. at No. 4 Alabama ESPN L 24–52 100,077
November 6 7:00 p.m. at No. 18 Kentucky ESPN2 W 45–42 61,690
November 13 3:30 p.m. No. 1 Georgia Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (rivalry ) CBS L 17–41 100,074
November 20 7:30 p.m. South Alabama * Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN ESPNU W 60–14 75,203
November 27 3:45 p.m. Vanderbilt Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (rivalry ) SECN W 45–21 77,349
3:00 p.m. vs. Purdue * ESPN L 45–48OT 69,489
[2]
Game summaries
Bowling Green
Bowling Green at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Bowling Green
0
6
0 0 6
Tennessee
14
0
14 10 38
at Neyland Stadium , Knoxville, TN
Date : September 2Game time : 8:00 p.m.Game weather : Sunny, 77 °F (25 °C)Game attendance : 84,314Referee : Steve MarloweTV announcers (SECN ) : Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (color) and Cole Cubelic (sidelines)
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Pittsburgh
0
27
7 7 41
Tennessee
10
10
7 7 34
at Neyland Stadium , Knoxville, TN
Date : September 11Game time : NoonGame weather : Sunny, 71 °F (22 °C)Game attendance : 82,203Referee : Stuart MullinsTV announcers (ESPN ) : Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (color) and Tom Luginbill (sidelines)
Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Tech at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Tennessee Tech
0
0
0 0 0
Tennessee
14
14
21 7 56
at Neyland Stadium , Knoxville, TN
Date : September 18Game time : NoonGame weather : Sunny, 75 °F (24 °C)Game attendance : 80,053Referee : Kyle OlsonTV announcers (SECN +/ESPN +) : Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Hutson Mason (color) and Abby Labar (sidelines)
At No. 11 Florida
Tennessee at No. 11 Florida
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Tennessee
7
7
0 0 14
No. 11 Florida
10
7
14 7 38
at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium , Gainesville, FL
Date : September 25Game time : 7:00 p.m.Game weather : Cloudy, 80 °F (27 °C)Game attendance : 88,478Referee : Matt LoefflerTV announcers (ESPN ) : Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (color), and Katie George (sidelines)
At Missouri
Tennessee at Missouri
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Tennessee
28
17
10 7 62
Missouri
3
7
7 7 24
at Faurot Field , Columbia, MO
Date : October 2Game time : NoonGame weather : Rain, 72 °F (22 °C)Game attendance : 45,655Referee : David SmithTV announcers (SECN ) : Dave Neal (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (color), and Andraya Carter (sidelines)
Vs. South Carolina
South Carolina at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
South Carolina
0
7
7 6 20
Tennessee
28
10
0 7 45
at Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee
Date : Saturday, October 9, 2021Game time : 12:00 p.m.. EST Game weather : Sunny • Temperature – 70°FGame attendance : 89,437Referee : James CarterTV announcers (ESPN2 ) : Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Mike Golic Jr. (color) and Taylor McGregor (sideline)Box Score
Game information
First quarter
(9:18) TENN – Jalin Hyatt 3-yard pass from Hendon Hooker (Chase McGrath Kick). Tennessee 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 66 yards, 4:29.
(6:46) TENN – JaVonta Payton 39-yard pass from Hendon Hooker (Chase McGrath Kick). Tennessee 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 57 yards, 0:35.
(0:58) TENN – Hendon Hooker 11-yard run (Chase McGrath Kick). Tennessee 21–0. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 1:18.
(0:12) TENN – Velus Jones Jr. 21-yard pass from Hendon Hooker (Chase McGrath Kick). Tennessee 28–0. Drive: 3 plays, 24 yards, 0:33.
Second quarter
(5:40) TENN – Tiyon Evans 45-yard run (Chase McGrath Kick). Tennessee 35–0. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 1:43.
(2:04) SC – Kevin Harris 6-yard run (Parker White Kick). Tennessee 35–7. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:36.
(0:00) TENN – Chase McGrath 25-yard field goal. Tennessee 38–7. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 2:04.
Third quarter
(7:15) SC – Payton Mangrum 44-yard pass from Kai Kroeger (Parker White Kick). Tennessee 38–14. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:18.
Fourth quarter
(12:18) SC – Kevin Harris 1-yard run (2PT Pass Failed). Tennessee 38–20. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 7:04.
(4:45) TENN – Len'Neth Whitehead 2-yard run (Chase McGrath Kick). Tennessee 45–20. Drive: 6 plays, 41 yards, 3:06.
Statistics
SC
TENN
First downs
22
24
Plays–yards
75–370
72–472
Rushes–yards
153
247
Passing yards
217
225
Passing: comp–att–int
21–34–1
17–23–0
Time of possession
33:55
26:05
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
SC
Passing
Luke Doty
19/31, 167 yards
Rushing
Kevin Harris
16 carries, 61 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
Payton Mangrum
1 reception, 44 yards, TD
TENN
Passing
Hendon Hooker
17/23, 225 yards, 3 TD
Rushing
Tiyon Evans
16 carries, 119 yards, TD
Receiving
Velus Jones Jr.
6 receptions, 103 yards, TD
No. 13 Ole Miss
No. 13 Ole Miss at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
No. 13 Ole Miss
10
14
7 0 31
Tennessee
9
3
7 7 26
at Neyland Stadium , Knoxville, TN
Date : October 16Game time : 7:30 pmGame weather : Sunny, 59 °F (15 °C)Game attendance : 102,455Referee : Marc CurlesTV announcers (SECN ) : Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (color) and Cole Cubelic (sidelines)
The game was delayed for nearly 20 minutes in the 4th quarter as some Tennessee fans started to throw objects onto the field, including a golf ball that hit Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin in the leg. The eruption occurred after officials ruled that Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren was short on 4th-and-24 with just under a minute left to play.[3] On the Monday following the game, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey announced that Tennessee would be fined $250,000 due to the fans' actions.[4]
At No. 4 Alabama
Tennessee at No. 4 Alabama
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Tennessee
14
0
3 7 24
No. 4 Alabama
7
14
3 28 52
at Bryant-Denny Stadium , Tuscaloosa, AL
Date : October 23Game time : 7:00 pmGame weather : Sunny, 72 °F (22 °C)Game attendance : 100,077Referee : Alex MooreTV announcers (ESPN ) : Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (color), and Katie George (sidelines)
At No. 18 Kentucky
Tennessee at No. 16 Kentucky
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Tennessee
14
10
14 7 45
No. 18 Kentucky
7
14
14 7 42
at Kroger Field , Lexington, KY
Date : November 6Game time : 7:00 pmGame weather : Sunny, 46 °F (8 °C)Game attendance : 61,690Referee : Steve MarloweTV announcers (ESPN2 ) : Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (color), and Dawn Davenport (sidelines)
No. 1 Georgia
No. 1 Georgia at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
No. 1 Georgia
7
17
3 14 41
Tennessee
10
0
0 7 17
at Neyland Stadium , Knoxville, TN
Date : November 13Game time : 3:30 p.m. EST Game weather : Sunny, 49 °F (9 °C)Game attendance : 100,074Referee : James CarterTV announcers (CBS ) : Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (color) and Jamie Erdahl (sidelines)Pregame line : Georgia −19.5 • Odds to win : Georgia 88.1% • Game summary : ESPN
Game information
First quarter
(11:43) TENN – Velus Jones Jr. 9 Yd pass from Hendon Hooker (Chase McGrath Kick) (Tennessee 7–0 )
(9:11) UGA – James Cook 39 Yd Run (Jack Podlesny Kick) (Tied 7–7 )
(1:39) TENN – Chase McGrath 24 Yd Field Goal (Tennessee 10–7 )
Second quarter
(9:42) UGA – Jack Podlesny 40 Yd Field Goal (Tied 10–10 )
(7:24) UGA – Stetson Bennett 9 Yd Run (Jack Podlesny Kick) (Georgia 17–10 )
(0:37) UGA – James Cook 23 Yd pass from Stetson Bennett (Jack Podlesny Kick) (Georgia 24–10 )
Third quarter
(4:41) UGA – Jack Podlesny 26 Yd Field Goal (Georgia 27–10 )
Fourth quarter
(13:14) UGA – James Cook 5 Yd Run (Jack Podlesny Kick) (Georgia 34–10 )
(7:03) UGA – Kenny McIntosh 5 Yd Run (Jack Podlesny Kick) (Georgia 41–10 )
(3:38) TENN – Cedric Tillman 12 Yd pass from Joe Milton (Chase McGrath Kick) (Georgia 41–17 )
Statistics
UGA
TENN
First downs
26
22
Plays–yards
70–487
84–387
Rushes–yards
41–274
36–55
Passing yards
213
332
Passing: comp–att–int
17–29–0
30–48–1
Time of possession
32:40
27:20
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
UGA
Passing
Stetson Bennett
17/29, 213 yards, 1 TD
Rushing
James Cook
10 carries, 104 yards, 2 TD
Receiving
Adonai Mitchell
5 receptions, 65 yards
TENN
Passing
Hendon Hooker
24/37, 244 yards, 1TD, 1 INT
Rushing
Jabari Small
12 carries, 49 yards
Receiving
Cedric Tillman
10 receptions, 200 yards, 1 TD
South Alabama
South Alabama at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
South Alabama
0
7
0 7 14
Tennessee
14
21
14 11 60
at Neyland Stadium , Knoxville, TN
Date : November 20Game time : 7:30 pmGame weather : Cloudy, 46 °F (8 °C)Game attendance : 75,203Referee : Jason AutreyTV announcers (ESPNU ) : Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Rocky Boiman (color)
Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt at Tennessee
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Vanderbilt
0
7
6 8 21
Tennessee
7
17
14 7 45
at Neyland Stadium , Knoxville, TN
Date : November 27Game time : 3:45 pmGame weather : Sunny, 46 °F (8 °C)Game attendance : 77,349Referee : David SmithTV announcers (SECN ) : Dave Neal (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (color), and Andraya Carter (sidelines)
Purdue
Players drafted into the NFL
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold