There’s something about 41, Tennessee, and Overtime this September. The Vols lost after scoring 41 against Georgia two weeks ago in overtime, but tonight they sneaked past a resilient Mississippi State Bulldogs with the same score. The Volunteers stage a late comeback to avoid a massive upset in the SEC and maintain their recent supremacy over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Heading into the night, the Vols hadn’t lost to the Bulldogs since 2012, and after tonight, that stat remains. The Vols kept it late though.
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After Joey Aguilar redeemed himself with a 6-yard run late in the fourth quarter, DeSean Bishop sealed the comeback with a fabulous 25-yard run to help the Vols to a 41-34 lead (post Max Gilbert conversion), and with the Bulldogs missing their play, game over.
Jeff Lebby went winless in the SEC a year ago. So you can fathom the rage with which they planned to cruise against the Tennessee Volunteers, their first conference game of the season, with a perfect 4-0 overall record. But weren’t they scared of the Tennessee vs Mississippi State history?
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Heupel’s Tennessee came in owning Lebby’s Bulldogs, winners of 8 of the last 9 matchups. Yet then they might have still planned to serve the Vols a bitter potion, stirring up a recipe from 2012. This time, they marched in carrying the SEC’s most explosive offense, lighting up the scoreboard at 53.5 points per game. At the helm? Aguilar, the league’s touchdown king with 12 scoring strikes before kickoff tonight. And that’s how the quarterback crushed the doubts.
Aguilar had too much burden on his shoulders to fill Nico Iamaleava’s place. On the other hand, his own resume has been the biggest turn-off. At App State last year, Aguilar flashed big-play ability with 23 touchdown passes, but his interception tally kept climbing as the Mountaineers faltered in 2024. On the flip side, Heupel’s Iamaleava was the picture of reliability, racking up over 2,600 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just five picks. His steady decision-making powered Tennessee all the way to the College Football Playoff, rarely putting the ball in harm’s way. But looks like the Tennessee fans won’t miss their former quarterback any longer, given the night Aguilar has gifted them.