It took overtime to get the result, but No. 15 Tennessee escaped Mississippi State with a victory.
Despite trailing by a score in the second quarter, by 4 points in the third, and then by 7 in the fourth, the Vols (4-1, 1-1 SEC) were the last team standing in Starkville. Tailback DeSean Bishop scored from 25 yards out on the first play of overtime for Tennessee, then the Vols’ defense stuffed Mississippi State on fourth-and-goal from the 4 to secure a 41-34 victory.
The Bulldogs (4-1, 0-1 SEC) struck first, but a 23-yard pick-6 from Colton Hood near the end of the first gave Tennessee a 10-3 lead after 15 minutes. The Bulldogs then surged to a 17-10 lead midway through the second.
Late in the third quarter, a touchdown from Fluff Bothwell put the Bulldogs up 24-20. A 2-yard touchdown reception from Seydou Traore with 7:59 to go in the fourth put the Bulldogs up 34-27.
Every time, Tennessee had an answer. In the third, it was a 41-yard scoop-and-score from Joshua Josephs. In the fourth, it was a 6-yard run from Joey Aguilar with 1:55 to play.
Despite some baffling late-game clock management from coach Josh Heupel, Tennessee made the plays when they mattered.
The Vols will have a bye week now to prepare for Arkansas on Oct. 11. Mississippi State will travel to Texas A&M next Saturday.
Tennessee 41, Mississippi State 34
Here’s the Tennessee-Mississippi State box score (use the dropdown menu to select team or player stats), followed by the complete play-by-play:
Joey Aguilar vs Blake Shapen
A statistical breakdown of how quarterbacks Joey Aguilar (Tennessee) and Blake Shapen (Mississippi State) played:
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
