Postgame Notes: #13 Tennessee 7, #14 Missouri 36

Photo by: Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

November 11, 2023 | Football

TENNESSEE FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES
Nov. 11, 2023 | Columbia, Mo. | Faurot Field
FINAL SCORE: No. 13 Tennessee 7, No. 14 Missouri 36

General Notes

Saturday's attendance at Faurot Field: 62,621 (sold out)
- The Vols are one of five FBS teams to play in front of a sellout crowd in every game this season, joining Colorado, Georgia, Iowa and Notre Dame.
Tennessee's all-time on-field record fell to 874-413-53 with Saturday's loss (NCAA record: 863-413-53).
Saturday marked the 12th meeting between Tennessee and Missouri on the gridiron.
- The series is even at 6-6 on the field, and Missouri leads the series 6-4 in terms of NCAA. (Note: The Vols' wins during Jeremy Pruitt's tenure in 2019 and 2020 were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.)
- The loss snapped a four-game on-field winning streak for Tennessee in the series.
- Saturday's contest marked the first time in the Tennessee-Missouri series that both teams were ranked in the top 25.

Vol Captains/Coin Toss

Tennessee's team captains for Saturday's game: DB Jaylen McCollough, LS Matthew Salansky, TE Jacob Warren
Tennessee won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. UT defended the south end zone.

First-Time Starters

Sophomore DL James Pearce Jr. made his first career start on Saturday at LEO.
Ten players have made their first career Tennessee starts this season, including five on offense and five on defense.

Individual Offensive Notes

QB Joe Milton III extended his streak of games with a touchdown pass to 14, moving into sole possession of the third-longest streak in Tennessee history.
- Hendon Hooker (2021-22) owns the program record at 20, while Heath Shuler (1992-94) is second with 18.
WR Dont'e Thornton Jr. gave UT its first lead of the game with 12:25 remaining in the second quarter, hauling in his first touchdown as a Vol on a 46-yard strike from Milton.

Team Defensive Notes

Eight players combined for eight tackles for loss in Saturday's contest. The Vols entered the weekend ranking second in the SEC and fifth nationally with 8.2 TFLs per game and have averaged 7.71 TFLs per game during the Josh Heupel era.

Individual Defensive Notes

DB Jaylen McCollough collected his second interception in as many weeks in the first quarter, thwarting Missouri's first drive of the game.
- The senior has three interceptions in his last four games, including a pick six last week vs. UConn and an INT in the end zone on Oct. 21 at No. 11/8 Alabama.
- McCollough has three picks in 2023, matching his career-best total for a single season set in 2021.
- DE Tyler Baron tipped the intercepted pass at the line of scrimmage and was credited with his first pass breakup since Sept. 15, 2021, at Florida.
DL Omarr Norman-Lott finished with a career-high in sacks (2.0) and TFLs (2.0). Both of his first-half sacks came on third down, one to force a FG attempt and another that forced a punt.
DB Wesley Walker equaled his season-high and UT career-best with nine total tackles.

Special Teams Notes

P Jackson Ross punted six times for 262 yards (43.7 avg), including a pair of 54-yarders and three punts downed inside the 20. His three punts downed inside the 20 and two 50-plus yard boots matched a season-best for the redshirt freshman.

Career Highs

The following players set or tied career highs in the respective statistical categories listed below:

Offense

WR Dont'e Thornton Jr.
- 1 receiving touchdown (ties career high, first at UT)
WR Kaleb Webb
- 4 receptions
- 38 receiving yards

Defense/Special Teams

DE Tyler Baron
- 2 pass breakups
DL Kurott Garland
- 6 tackles
DL Joshua Josephs
- 5 tackles
- 1.0 tackle for loss (ties career-high)
DB Jaylen McCollough
- 1 interception (ties career-high)
DL Omarr Norman-Lott
- 2.0 sacks
- 2.0 tackles for loss
P Jackson Ross
- 6 punts (ties career-high)
- 3 punts inside 20 (ties career-high)
- 2 punts 50+ yards (ties career-high)
DT Elijah Simmons
- 1.0 tackle for loss (ties career-high)
DB Jourdan Thomas
- 7 tackles