PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (8-4, 6-3 B1G) VS. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (7-5, 4-4 SEC) AT NISSAN STADIUM (NASHVILLE)
Purdue BoilerMakers Notes
BOILERMAKERS BACK BOWLING
• With its best season in 15 years, Purdue Football (8-4, 6-3 B1G) closes out the 2021 campaign with a trip to the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. The Boilermakers will battle the Tennessee Volunteers (7-5, 4-4 SEC), Dec. 30, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Kickoff is set
for 3 p.m. ET on ESPN.
• The bowl bid marks the 20th bowl game in Purdue history, including the third in five seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm.
• Purdue has an all-time record of 10-9 in bowl games.
• The Boilermakers are making their second appearance in the Music City Bowl, having played in the 2018 version against Auburn.
A HISTORIC SEASON
• Purdue has won eight games for the first time since 2007 and has eight regular-season victories for the first time since 2006.
• Two of those victories were over previously unbeaten No. 2 Iowa (Oct. 16) and No. 3 Michigan State (Nov. 6), giving the Boilermakers two wins over Top 5 teams for the first time since 1960.
• Purdue has won four games away from home this season. To find a Purdue squad with more road wins, one must search back to 1943, when Elmer Burnham’s band of Boilermakers went 9-0 on the season with a 5-0 away record.
• The Boilermakers now have five eight-win seasons since 2000, with the previous four, in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2007, all coming under coach Joe Tiller.
• Purdue finished with a record of 6-3 in Big Ten play, the most conference wins in a season since the 2003 team went 6-2.
• The Boilermakers tied for second in the Big Ten West, finishing in the division’s top three for the third time in five seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm (2017, 2018, 2021).
• Purdue quarterbacks have completed a school-record 381 passes this season, surpassing the previous program mark of 377 set in 1998 led by Drew Brees (361).
• The Boilermakers have held four opponents to fewer than 10 points this season, the first time it has achieved the feat since 1978, when six opponents were held to single-digit point totals.
WHAT A WIN WOULD DO
• Purdue would end the season with a 9-4 record, the most wins in a season since 2003.
• The 2021 Boilermakers would tie for the second-most wins in program history, while becoming the 12th team in the program’s 134-year history to record nine wins in a season.
• Purdue would win its fifth game away from home, accomplishing the feat for the first time since 1943.
• A victory would be Purdue’s first in a bowl since a 38-35 win over Arizona in the 2017 Foster Farms Bowl, Jeff Brohm’s first season guiding the Boilermakers.
ONE PREVIOUS MATCHUP
• The Boilermakers and Volunteers have only met once on the gridiron, and it occurred in a bowl game (1979 Bluebonnet Bowl).
• A 17-yard touchdown pass from Mark Herrmann to tight end Dave Young, a pair of consensus All-Americans, with less than a minute to play lifted Purdue to a 27-22 win over Tennessee in the final college football game of the decade
• Herrmann, who currently serves as the director of leadership and alumni engagement for the John Purdue Club, threw for 303 yards and was named the game’s MVP.
• The win gave Purdue its 10th victory of the year (10-2), which still remains the most wins in a single season in program history.
BOWL HISTORY 24 YEARS AGO
• On this date 24 years ago (Dec. 30, 1997), No. 16 Purdue used a 20-point third quarter to capture a 33-20 victory over No. 24 Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl.
• Purdue quarterback Billy Dicken threw for 325 yards, an Alamo Bowl record at the time, and rushed for a team-high 43 yards to
earn offensive MVP honors.
• Backup quarterback Drew Brees, who would named Alamo Bowl Offensive MVP one season later as part of a memorable Purdue career, attempted one pass in the game.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
• The Boilermakers have made their presence known all across the college football landscape this season.
• The following numbers are the most important to remember:
1: QB Aidan O’Connell is No. 1 in Big Ten in comp. pct. at 73.5.
2: Purdue has two Top-5 wins for the first time since 1960.
3: Bowl-eligible for third time under head coach Jeff Brohm.
4: Purdue has four wins away from home, the most in a season since 1943.
7: O’Connell with 74.0+ pct. comp. in seven straight games.
10: S Cam Allen, #10, tied for third in Big Ten for INTs (4).
14: Past 7 games: 14 takeaways. Two total in first 5 games.
21: WR David Bell became the 21st consensus All-American in Purdue history.
48: Bell and DE George Karlaftis earned All-America accolades, giving Purdue 48 All-Americans all-time.
381: Purdue quarterbacks have completed a school-record
381 passes this season, surpassing the 1998 mark of 377.
1,286: Bell had 1,286 rec. yards in 2021, 2nd in Purdue history and just 21 yards away from the program record.
AIR IT OUT, AIDAN
• The most accurate passer, currently, in the Big Ten Conference is Purdue signal caller Aidan O’Connell. The fifth-year senior QB is
completing 73.5 percent of his throws (289-393), while averaging 26.3 completions per game. His completion percentage ranks third nationally, while his completions per game sit fifth among quarterbacks.
• O’Connell earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors from the conference coaches and media, the first Purdue quarterback to be named to one of the first two All-Big Ten teams since Kyle Orton in 2004.
• Despite splitting time at points of the season, O’Connell has thrown for 3,177 yards (17th nationally) and 23 touchdowns (25th nationally).
• Over his last seven games, O’Connell is completing more than 75.0 percent of his pass attempts (.761, 223-293). Since the 2000 season, O’Connell is the only Purdue quarterback to string together three consecutive games above the 74.0-percent mark, let alone the current seven-game span.
• In games against Top 5 competition (at No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Michigan State, and at No. 4 Ohio State), O’Connell threw for 1,301 passing yards (433.7 avg.) and completed 110-of-146 pass attempts (.753). For those three games, O’Connell has a 9-0 TD-INT ratio.
• O’Connell passed for 423 yards in the win over Northwestern, Nov. 20, becoming just the sixth Purdue quarterback to have multiple 400-yard games in a single season. He joined Drew Brees, who accomplished the feat three times in his historic career (1998-2000), as well as Boilermaker quarterbacks Jim Everett (1985), Curtis Painter (2006), David Blough (2016) and Elijah Sindelar (2019).
• The gunslinger has produced five 300-yard games, the first Purdue quarterback to accomplish the feat since Blough in 2016.
NATIONAL LEADERS
• Completing 72.2 percent of passes, Purdue leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the country.
• The Boilermakers limit making penalties, committing a conference-low 53 (4.4 per game) that is the seventh-fewest nationwide.
• Purdue’s passing offense ranks eighth in the country and second in the Big Ten with 340.4 yards per game.
• Opponents have only been able to convert 5 of 16 fourth down attempts for a .312 conversion rate, putting the Boilermakers sixth nationally in defending fourth downs.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT DEFENSE
• While Jeff Brohm’s offense gets the majority of the attention, the Purdue defense has stepped up during the first season under co-defensive coordinators Brad Lambert, Ron English and Mark Hagen.
• The Boilermakes have allowed only 20.5 points per game to rank 19th nationally, holding four opponents to single digits.
• Purdue also ranks 13th in first down defense (207), 16th in red zone defense (.744) and 21st in passing yards allowed (194.6 ypg).
• The Boilermakers defense has scored a pair of touchdowns this season as well with aJalen Graham’s pick-six at Nebraska (Oct. 30) and a George Karlaftis scoop-and-score against Wisconsin (Oct. 23).
• Allen has four interceptions on the season, ranking third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally.
CONSISTENT STARTERS
• One credit to Purdue’s success can be attributed to the consistencies in the starting lineups. On the offensive side of the ball, five Boilermakers have started every game.
• Milton Wright has started every game at wide receiver, hauling in 57 catches for 732 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns.
• Spencer Holstege (LG), Gus Hartwig (C) and Tyler Witt (RG) have started all 12 games at their respective positions. Eric Miller has 12 starts as well, with 11 of them coming at right tackle and the other at left tackle for Greg Long. Meanwhile, Long has made 11 starts
protecting the quarterback’s blind side.
• The Boilermakers will miss George Karlaftis, who started all 12 contests, but six other Purdue defenders have started every game: DT Lawrence Johnson, LB Jaylan Alexander, LB Jalen Graham, CB Dedrick Mackey, SS Cam Allen and FS Marvin Grant.
• DT Branson Deen and LB Kieren Douglas have 11 starts under their belts this season, while CB Jamari Brown and DE Kydran Jenkins have 10 apiece.
WELCOME TO THE PURDUE PICK PARTY
• Purdue has had two games with four interceptions this season after not recording a four-INT game since the 2018 season. Prior to the four INTs by Purdue’s defense at No. 2 Iowa (Oct. 16) and the most recent effort at Nebraska (Oct. 30), the Boilermakers last had four interceptions vs. Boston College on Sept. 22, 2018.
• The Boilermakers have accomplished a four-interception game eight times in the last 21 seasons of football, but 2021 stands as the
first season since 1999 with two instances in the same campaign.
LINE THEM UP, KNOCK THEM DOWN
• The last season Purdue beat two or more Top-25 teams in a season was 2018, with three, and the last time Purdue upended two top-10 teams was in 1984 (No. 8 Notre Dame, 23-21 and No. 2 Ohio State 28-23).
• Purdue has 17 wins against AP Top-5 foes as an unranked team, which is the most in the country by six, ahead of Illinois and USC’s
11 and Michigan State’s 10.
NEW LOOK DEFENSE
• Purdue’s defense is led by a new array of assistant coaches selected to join the Boilermaker staff by head coach Jeff Brohm during the offseason leading up to the 2021 season. Three new co-defensive coordinators were hired, Brad Lambert, previously at Marshall, and Ron English, previously at Florida. In his second stint on Purdue’s staff, Mark Hagen was selected by Brohm and elevated to co-defensive coordinator.
• Lambert and English coach the linebacker and secondary groups, respectively, while Hagen returned to Purdue in 2021 to lead the
defensive line. Brohm also added cornerbacks coach James Adams to his staff from Navy.
Tennessee Volunteers Notes
STORYLINES
• MUSIC CITY BOUND: Tennessee closes its first season under head coach Josh Heupel in its home state as the Volunteers take on Purdue in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 in Nashville. Kickoff from Nissan Stadium is 2 p.m. CT live on ESPN. Tennessee won three of its last four games and finished with seven regular season wins — four more than last year — while posting a 4-4 mark in SEC play. The Vols were picked to finish fifth in the SEC East at SEC Media Days, but they took sole possession of third place in the final standings. Purdue finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Big Ten West at 6-3.
• BOWL FACTS: Tennessee is going bowling for the 54th time in program history. That ranks fifth all-time behind Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. The Vols are 29-24 in bowl games, and those 29 victories rank seventh nationally. UT is making its third Music City Bowl appearance. The Vols topped No. 24 Nebraska, 38-24, in the 2016 game. UT dropped a 30-27 double overtime contest to North Carolina in the 2010 Music City Bowl. Josh Heupel is the fifth UT coach in the last 70 years to lead the Vols to a bowl berth in his debut season, joining Bill Battle (1970), Phillip Fulmer (1993), Lane Kiffin (2009) and Derek Dooley (2010). Of those previous four only Battle (def. Air Force in 1971 Sugar Bowl) won a bowl game in his first full debut season. Heupel has guided teams to a bowl berth in all four seasons as a head coach (three at UCF), and he is 1-2 in those previous games (lost to No. 11 LSU, 40-32, in 2019 Fiesta Bowl; def. Marshall, 48-25, in 2019 Gasparilla Bowl; lost to No. 16 BYU, 49-23, in 2020 Boca Raton Bowl).
• HEUPEL ERA: Josh Heupel is in his debut season at Tennessee and ranks 11th in win percentage (.729) among active FBS head coaches (min. two seasons, all wins as FBS HC). The 27th head coach in Vol history, Heupel owns the most wins this season among the eight Power Five coaches in their first year with new programs. Heupel was just the fourth first-year UT head coach to lead his team to a .500 record or better in SEC play since 1970, joining Lane Kiffin (4-4 in 2009), Phillip Fulmer (7-1 in 1993) and Bill Battle (4-1 in 1970). Heupel also joined Kiffin (7 in 2009), Fulmer (10 in 1993), Battle (10 in 1970) and John Barnhill (8 in 1941) as the only UT coaches in the last 80 years (since 1941) to win seven or more regular season games in his first season. Heupel is attempting to become the sixth UT coach all-time to win eight or more games in his first season, joining Fulmer, Battle, Barnhill, General Neyland (8 in 1926) and John Bender (8 in 1916).
• PLAY FAST: A Josh Heupel specialty, Tennessee leads the nation in offensive plays per minute at 2.94. Ole Miss is second at 2.87. By comparison, the Vols averaged 2.36 a year ago, which was 58th in the FBS. UT averages 1.61 points per minute, which also leads the FBS. From 2018-20, Heupel’s UCF teams averaged a nation-high 3.04 plays per minute.
• HEUPEL EFFECT: Tennessee’s offense has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in its first season under Josh Heupel. The Vols are ranked in the top 25 nationally offensively in seven different categories: scoring offense (38.8 – 9th), total offense (459.0 – 16th), rushing offense (212.0 – 19th), yards per play (6.50 – 20th), passing efficiency (165.37 – 7th), third down offense (46.20% – 11th) and first down offense (23.8 – 19th). Currently, UT’s 38.8 points per game ranks second in modern program history, trailing only the 1993 team (42.8). The Vols put up at least 45 points in six games this season, tying for the most 45-point games in a season in program history (1993). UT enters the TransPerfect Music City Bowl having scored 466 points this season, which is third in school history and 18 points shy of tying the school record of 484 set in 1993.
BY THE NUMBERS
108 – tackles by Jr. LB Jeremy Banks, team leader which ranked third in the SEC and 24th in the FBS (also tied for team lead in TFL with 9.0)
16.0 – yards per punt return this season by SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Year Velus Jones Jr., which leads the nation
182.15 – QB passer rating by Sr. Hendon Hooker, which ranked third in the nation and first in the SEC (best in school history)
11 – pass breakups in 2021 by Sr. DB Theo Jackson, which tied for second in the SEC and tied for 15th nationally
NOTING THE TENNESSEE-PURDUE SERIES
• Tennessee and Purdue are meeting for only the second time. The first and only meeting occurred in the 1979 Bluebonnet Bowl on Dec. 21, 1979 in Johnny Majors’ third season. The Boilermakers won the contest 27-22 in Houston, Texas.
• Purdue is one of 48 schools UT has faced only once. Only 23 of these opponents still reside in the FBS.
• This will be the first time Josh Heupel has faced a Big Ten opponent as a head coach. The last time he played a Big Ten opponent was ironically Purdue on Sept. 16, 2017, when he was the offensive coordinator at Missouri. Purdue won that contest 35-3.
• Tennessee and Purdue combined for nine contests against ranked teams this season (UT 5, Purdue 4; at time of meeting). Five of those matchups came against top five teams (Purdue 3, UT 2).
• The two schools are separated by 349 miles, closer than Tennessee is to five SEC schools (Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Missouri, Texas A&M).
• This is the first time Tennessee has faced a Big Ten opponent since defeating Indiana, 23-22, in the 2020 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. This will be the 17th Big Ten team the Vols have faced in a bowl game and UT is 11-5 in those previous contests. (note: previous meetings include conference at time of meeting)
• This is the fifth straight Big Ten team that the Vols have faced in a bowl game. Tennessee has won four straight bowl games – all vs. Big Ten teams.
• The last time Tennessee played a Big Ten opponent during the regular season was the first-ever night game at Neyland Stadium, Sept. 16, 1972, against Penn State.
NOTEBOOK
HENDO CINCO
• Graduate transfer Hendon Hooker has taken control of Tennessee’s quarterback position since Sept. 18 vs. Tennessee Tech. Hooker, who announced he will return for his “super” senior season of 2022, transferred from Virginia Tech in January 2021. Hooker produced an 8-7 record as a starter for the Hokies, throwing for 2,894 yards and 22 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,033 yards on 247 carries with 15 touchdowns on the ground.
• Hooker, who was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, is 6-4 as a starter at Tennessee and 14-11 for his collegiate career. Hooker was the first semifinalist from UT since Erik Ainge in 2006.
• Hooker has twice earned Manning Award Quarterback of the Week with both coming after road victories – at Missouri and at Kentucky. He was named Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 QB after a win vs. South Carolina.
• Since being named the starter, Hooker has thrown 24 TD passes to only two interceptions in the last nine games. During that span, he has accounted for 2,866 yards of total offense and 29 touchdowns and completed 68.6 percent of his passes (164-239).
• Hooker has accounted for multiple touchdowns in 10 of his last 11 games entering the bowl game. He has been responsible for 31 touchdowns this season – 26 pass and five rush. He is one of only six FBS players this season with at least 25 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns, joining Pitt Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett, Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman, Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ritter and UTSA’s Frank Harris.
• Hooker has thrown at least one TD pass in 11 straight games, which ties for the fourth longest streak in school history. Hooker has fired multiple TD passes in nine games this season, including three or more TD passes in five games.
UT Consecutive Games with a TD Pass
1. Heath Shuler – 18 (1992-94)
2. Tony Robinson – 13 (1984-85)
3. Casey Clausen – 12 (2001-02)
4. Erik Ainge – 11 (2004-05)
Peyton Manning – 11 (1996)
Hendon Hooker – 11 (2021)
7. Tyler Bray – 10 (2010-11)
Andy Kelly – 10 (1990-91)
• Hooker’s 182.16 quarterback rating in 2021 ranks third in the FBS and first in the SEC. That figure is on pace to be the best in school history. Daryl Dickey (1985) holds the record at 163.00 (min. 100 attempts).
QB Passer Efficiency Rating
1. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina – 207.65
2. C.J. Shroud, Ohio State – 182.84
3. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee – 182.16
4. Stetson Bennett, Georgia – 176.85
5. Bryce Young, Alabama – 175.53
Tennessee Single-Season Passer Efficiency Rating (min. 100 attempts)
1. Hendon Hooker – 182.16 (2021)*
2. Darryl Dickey – 163.00 (1985)*
3. Heath Shuler – 157.25 (1993)*
4. Erik Ainge – 151.95 (2006)
5. Joshua Dobbs – 151.55 (2014)
* – denotes also led the SEC that season
• Hooker saw a streak of 140 consecutive passes without an interception end in the fourth quarter of the Alabama game. It was his 25th pass of the game and the streak dated back to the start of Tennessee Tech game in Week 3, his first game as a starter. The pick was his first as a starter. The streak finished as the fourth-longest streak in program history, trailing Jonathan Crompton (142, 2009), Casey Clausen (143, 2003) and Jarrett Guarantano (166, 2018). Hooker has thrown only three picks in 261 attempts this season.
• For the season, Hooker has thrown 26 touchdowns to only three interceptions. Of the 19 FBS players who threw 25 or more touchdowns this season, no one had fewer interceptions than Hooker.
• Hooker enters the bowl game in sole possession of seventh place in UT single-season TD passes and just one shy of fourth place.
Tennessee Single-Season Touchdown Passes
1. Peyton Manning – 36 (1997)
…
3. Erik Ainge – 31 (2007)
4. Joshua Dobbs – 27 (2016)
Jonathan Crompton – 27 (2009)
Casey Clausen – 27 (2003)
7. Hendon Hooker – 26 (2021)
• Including his time at Virginia Tech, Hooker has accounted for 49 touchdowns and 7,055 yards of total offense during his entire collegiate career.
• Hooker owns three career 100-yard rushing games and one at Tennessee. Hooker rushed for 108 yards vs. No. 12 Ole Miss as part of a 341-yard total offensive performance.
• Hooker followed that up with another spectacular performance at No. 4 Alabama on Oct. 23, finishing 19-of-28 for 282 passing yards and three touchdowns. It was the most passing yards by a Vol QB vs. Alabama since Erik Ainge threw for 302 in 2006.
• Hooker registered his first 300-yard passing game as a Vol, completing 15-of-20 passes for 316 yards in a 45-42 win at No. 18 Kentucky on Nov. 6. Hooker fired multiple touchdown passes over 70 yards, and he became the first UT QB since Tee Martin in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl to complete multiple 70-yard passes in the same game. Hooker was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts vs. UK.
• Hooker’s 9.8 yards per passing attempt ranks second in the SEC and third in the FBS.
• Hooker’s 69.0 completion percentage this season ranks second in the SEC and 10th in the FBS. That’s currently on pace to be the best by a UT QB in single-season history (min. 100 attempts). Erik Ainge holds that mark when he finished the 2006 campaign at 67.0 percent (233-of-348).
• Hooker is tied for the national lead in 70+ yard completions this season with four. Louisville’s Malik Cunningham and Alabama’s Bryce Young also have four.
Tennessee Single-Season Completion Percentage (min. 100 attempts)
1. Hendon Hooker – 69.0 (2021; 180-261)
2. Erik Ainge – 67.0 (2006; 233-348)
3. Darryl Dickey – 64.9 (1998; 85-131)
4. Heath Shuler – 64.6 (1993; 184-285)
5. Jeff Francis – 64.4 (1986; 150-233)
• Hooker finished an efficient 17-of-20 (85.0 percent) for 273 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions against South Alabama last game. The 85 percent completion percentage was his best of his career and the best by a Vol with over 20 attempts in a game since Joshua Dobbs at Vanderbilt on Nov. 26, 2016 (91.2 percent, 31-of-34).
• Hooker has rushed for 561 yards this season, which ranks fourth in single-season school history among QBs. He is 32 yards from tying for third place.
Tennessee Single-Season QB Rushing Yards
1. Joshua Dobbs – 831 (2016)
2. Joshua Dobbs – 671 (2015)
3. Jimmy Streater – 593 (1978)
4. Hendon Hooker – 561 (2021)
• Hooker has also entered the UT single-season record book in passing yards. He is currently in 12th place with 2,567.
Tennessee Single-Season Passing Yards
10. Jonathan Crompton – 2,800 (2009)
11. Andy Kelly – 2,759 (1991)
12. Hendon Hooker – 2,561 (2021)
• Hooker is closing in on the top five in the Tennessee single-season record books for total offense. He sits in sixth place with 3,128 yards – just 28 yards shy of fifth held by Peyton Manning in 1996.
Tennessee Single-Season Total Offense
1. Peyton Manning – 3,789 (1997)
…
4. Erik Ainge – 3,490 (2007)
5. Peyton Manning – 3,156 (1996)
6. Hendon Hooker – 3,128 (2021)
Hendon Hooker in the Tennessee Single-Season Record Books
Total Offense – 3,128 (6th)
Touchdown Passes – 26 (7th)
Consecutive Games with a Touchdown Pass – 11 (4th)
Completion Percentage – 69.0 (1st)
Passer Efficiency Rating – 182.16 (1st)
Passing Yards – 2,567 (12th)
Rushing Yards by a Quarterback – 561 (4th)
Hendon Hooker in the 2021 FBS Rankings
Yards Per Passing Attempt – 9.8 (3rd)
Passer Efficiency Rating – 182.16 (3rd)
Completion Percentage – 69.0 (10th)
70-Yard Pass Plays – 4 (1st)
Hendon Hooker in the 2021 SEC Rankings
Passer Efficiency Rating – 182.16 (1st)
Completion Percentage – 69.0 (2nd)
Passing Yards – 2,567 (7th)
Passing Touchdowns – 26 (4th)
Yards Per Passing Attempt – 9.8 (2nd)
Rushing Touchdowns by a Quarterback – 5 (3rd)
Rushing Yards by a Quarterback – 561 (3rd)
70-Yard Pass Plays – 4 (1st)
FAST STARTS, FIRST QUARTERS OF HISTORY
• Tennessee has outscored opponents an amazing 169-44 in the first quarter this season. Tennessee has led at the end of the first quarter in 10 of its 12 games with Florida (trailed 10-7) and Ole Miss (trailed 10-9) being the only exceptions. The Vols have led their last five opponents at the end of the first quarter and put up double-digit first quarter points in four of the five with three being ranked teams – No. 4 Alabama (14-7), No. 17 Kentucky (14-7) and No. 1 Georgia (10-7). Tennessee’s last two opponents – Vanderbilt and South Alabama – did not score in the first quarter,
• Georgia entered its Week 10 game vs. Tennessee having outscored opponents 101-12 in the first quarter. The Bulldogs allowed their first touchdown in a first quarter all season when Tennessee scored on its opening drive of the game. The Vols added a field goal to lead 10-7.
• For the first time in modern program history, Tennessee put up back-to-back first quarters of 28 points, doing so at Mizzou in Week 6 and then vs. South Carolina in Week 7. (The quarter scoring annals date back to 1944.) The Vols were the first FBS team to achieve that feat vs. FBS opponents since Louisville did it during the first two weeks of the 2016 season, scoring 28 vs. Charlotte (Sept. 1) and 28 at Syracuse (Sept. 9). Tennessee was the first FBS team to put up multiple 28-point or more first quarters vs. FBS opponents in the same season since Josh Heupel’s UCF team did it in 2019. The Knights scored 28 in the first vs. Stanford (Sept. 14) and then did it again two weeks later against UConn (Sept. 28).
• The last time any Tennessee team scored 28 points or more in a first quarter prior to this season was vs. Arkansas on Nov. 11, 2000, when they put 35 in a 63-20 win.
• Josh Heupel teams are known for quick starts. In 48 games as a head coach, Heupel’s squads have outscored opponents 616-258 (447-214 at UCF). No active FBS head coach scores more points per first quarter in a career than Heupel (12.83). via SportSource analytics
• Tennessee leads the nation in first quarter points per game (14.08), while Georgia is second (11.46).
• Tennessee’s scoring differential in the first quarter (offense minus defense) is +10.42, which also leads the nation. Georgia is second at +9.77.
CREATING NEGATIVE PLAYS, BANKS’ IMPACT
• Tennessee averages 7.83 tackles for loss per game, which ranks seventh in the nation and second in the SEC behind only Alabama (8.15).
• The Vols have racked up 94.0 tackles for loss through 12 games under new defensive coordinator Tim Banks, who was a candidate for the Broyles Award. That tally is also 10th in the FBS and second in the SEC. It’s also the second-most in school history. The school record is 100 TFLs in 2016.
• A total of 29 different players have 0.5 TFL so far, including 21 with multiple TFLs. DE Byron Young, LB Jeremy Banks and DB Theo Jackson all lead the way with 9.0. Jackson leads all SEC defensive backs in that category this season.
• Four Vols have at least 4.0 sacks this season with Byron Young leading the way at 5.5 followed by Matthew Butler with 5.0.
• The Vols have produced five games this season with double-digit tackles for loss, including a season-high 13.0 vs. South Alabama on Nov. 20. That represented the most by UT since 13.0 vs. Tennessee Tech on Nov. 5, 2016.
• LB Jeremy Banks has racked up double-digit tackles in five of his last six games – 15 vs. Ole Miss, 12 at Alabama, 14 at Kentucky and 15 vs. Georgia and 12 vs. Vanderbilt. He previously held a streak of four straight, which was the longest by a Vol since LB A.J. Johnson produced 11 consecutive games with double-digit tackles in 2012.
• Banks, who ranks third in the SEC with 108 tackles, is the first Vol with 100-plus tackles in a season since Jalen Reeves-Maybin had 105 in 2015.
Tennessee Single-Season Team Tackles For Loss
1. 2016 – 100.0
2. 2021 – 94.0
3. 1996 – 83.0
LONG SCRIMMAGE PLAYS
• Tennessee leads the SEC in offensive scrimmage plays of 70+ yards (5), and the Vols are second in the SEC in 40+ yard plays (19), third in 50+ yard plays (9) and third in 60+ yard plays (5).
• In conference-only games, the Vols led the SEC in 30-yard plays (23, 14 in 2020); 40-yard plays (12; 3 in 2020); 50-yard plays (8; 1 in 2020); 60-yard plays (5; 1 in 2020); 70-yard plays (5, 1 in 2020), 80-yard plays (1, 0 2020) and 90-yard plays (1, 0 in 2020).
“CHILI HOT” SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
• Special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler takes pride in his squad causing mayhem. The Vols have blocked two punts this season — both by true freshman — which is tied for third in the SEC and tied for 17th in the FBS. It’s the first time since 2019 that the Vols have blocked multiple punts in a season (2).
• True freshman Christian Charles blocked a punt on the first series against Pitt in Week 2 that was recovered at the Pitt 2-yard line. It led to a touchdown on the Vols’ first play from scrimmage.
• In a Week 8 game at No. 4 Alabama, true freshman De’Shawn Rucker came off the edge to block a punt in the third quarter that was recovered at the Alabama 16-yard line. It led to a Tennessee field goal on the ensuing possession.
• Tennessee is yielding only 2.40 yards per punt return, a mark that leads the SEC and ranks fifth in the FBS.
• As a team, the Vols lead the SEC and are 13th in the FBS in punt return average (13.00), and they are averaging 26.71 yards per kickoff return, which ranks second in the SEC and 10th in the nation. (see later in notes on Velus Jones Jr.)
• PK Chase McGrath, a graduate transfer from Southern Cal, is 11-of-14 on field goals this season and 60-of60 on PATs. He is one PAT shy of tying the single-season school record of 61 set by Aaron Medley in 2016.
TENNESSEE TAKEAWAYS
• The Vols came into Week 3 against Tennessee Tech without having forced a takeaway this season. That course has changed quickly in the last nine weeks of the season as the Vols have forced 13 turnovers and racked up 10 interceptions.
• The Vols have forced at least one turnover in eight of their last 10 games entering the bowl game.
• Tennessee is now +1 in turnover margin for the season (tied for fifth in the SEC) and +6 for the last 10 games. After losing the turnover battle in the first two games, UT has not lost the turnover battle in nine of its last 10 contests (+3 vs. Tennessee Tech, +1 at Florida, +2 at Missouri, +2 vs. South Carolina, 0 vs. Ole Miss, 0 at Alabama, 0 at Kentucky, -2 vs. Georgia, 0 vs. South Alabama, 0 vs. Vanderbilt).
• LB Aaron Beasley is tied for third in the SEC in fumbles recovered with two, while S Jaylen McCollough is tied for fourth in the SEC with three interceptions this year.
• Ole Miss QB Matt Corral entered Week 7 vs. Tennessee as the only SEC QB to not throw an interception this year, but that changed when S Trevon Flowers picked off a deflected pass in the fourth quarter.
• Tennessee owns three defensive touchdowns this season – all three on interception returns. That’s the most by the Vols in a single season since 2013. DB Theo Jackson, playing in his final game in Neyland Stadium, became the latest when he put UT on the board against Vanderbilt on a 55- yard pick six with 12:20 in the first quarter on Nov. 27.
NO SAFETY FOR OFFENSES
• Tennessee has forced opponents into three safeties this season, representing the most in single-season program history. (when scoring summaries available beginning in 1952).
• The Vols are the only team in the nation with three or more safeties this season, and they are the first SEC team to achieve that feat since Arkansas had three in 2010.
• On Nov. 20 against South Alabama, Tennessee forced multiple safeties in a game for the first time since producing two against Auburn on Sept. 30, 1989. Both against the Jaguars came in the fourth quarter – on Kurott Garland’s sack in the end zone and on a punt that was snapped through the end zone. The Vols’ other safety occurred against Ole Miss.
• Tennessee became the first SEC team to produce two or more safeties in the same game since Mississippi State did it against Charleston Southern on Sept. 9, 2017. The Vols are one of two FBS teams to achieve that feat this season, joining Old Dominion. They had two against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 13.
