Tennessee closed its regular season with one of its most deflating performances in recent years.
The Vols surrendered a second-half surge in a 45–24 loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday inside Neyland Stadium.
After opening the game with two early takeaways and building momentum behind a fast start, the Vols unraveled after halftime. Tennessee gave up explosive plays, struggled on third down and failed to match Vanderbilt’s physicality.
Head coach Josh Heupel said the collapse was a product of both poor execution and poor preparation.
“Extremely disappointing second half that leads to an extremely disappointing ultimate result, coaches and players both play a part in it,” Heupel said. “Give them some credit, but extremely disappointing in what we did in the second half.”
Tennessee’s defense, which has battled inconsistency all season, gave up nearly 600 yards of total offense.
The was the most surrendered since allowing 606 yards to South Carolina in 2022.
Missed tackles and breakdowns in the secondary allowed Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and his receivers to control the game after halftime.
Linebacker Jeremiah Telander said the team failed to maintain its early energy.
“We have to finish strong,” Telander said. “We have to play all four quarters, all 60 minutes, lights out. We started fast and we have to continue to finish strong, simple as that.”
He added that the taste of the loss, and what it meant for the team’s seniors, should linger.
“You have to keep this taste in your mouth,” Telander said. “Sending out the seniors that way is just unacceptable. Every single guy on this team that has more years to play here is going to remember that taste in their mouth and we got to get to work starting tomorrow.”
Quarterback Joey Aguilar pointed to inconsistency during the week as part of the team’s ongoing issues.
“I would probably say our week of preparation,” Aguilar said. “Some days we’re really good at practice, some days we’re a little slower. That carries on to gamedays. We have to attack practice more seriously. There’s an extra level of urgency we can have.”
Freshman defensive back Ty Redmond was a bright spot, recording an interception and a pass breakup in the first half. Teammates praised his growth amid the defensive struggles.
“Ty Redmond is an amazing player,” defensive back Edrees Farooq said. “He’s a freshman that just loves the game of football. He takes every practice serious, and to have him on our team, it’s a blessing.”
Farooq said Tennessee has to eliminate the recurring errors that show up late in games.
“We just need to eliminate some of the little mistakes,” he said. “The first half we came out strong, hungry. If we just lock in the second half and not let off the gas, we’ll be good.”
The loss sends Tennessee into the offseason facing major questions.
The Vols showed flashes throughout the year but rarely sustained consistent play. Discipline issues, second-half collapses, and defensive breakdowns defined the season’s narrative.
Heupel said changes, in mindset and execution, will be critical moving forward.
Tennessee now awaits its postseason destination, but for players and coaches, the focus has already shifted.
As Telander put it: “We got to get to work starting tomorrow.”
