KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Following a dominant defensive performance in Saturday’s victory over No. 6 Kentucky, Tennessee football seniors Arion Carter and Qua Moss earned weekly recognition for their efforts against the Wildcats. Carter was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week, while Moss was tabbed the Shriners Children’s East-West Bowl Defensive Player of the Week.
Carter finished with a game-high and season-best 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops, while setting career highs with two sacks and four tackles for loss. His four TFLs resulted in 21 lost yards, highlighted by a critical stop on fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter that gave Tennessee possession. He also recorded a key tackle for loss on third-and-7 with the Vols leading 13-7. Tennessee held Kentucky to its lowest point total of the season and kept the Wildcats out of the end zone.
A Butkus Award semifinalist and Campbell Trophy finalist, Carter became the fifth FBS player in the last 11-plus seasons to record at least 13 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks against an AP top-10 opponent. The last to accomplish the feat was Indiana’s T.J. Simmons against Michigan State on Oct. 24, 2015.
Tennessee has totaled 59 SEC weekly honors during the Josh Heupel era (since 2021), including eight this season.
Moss was equally disruptive, recording a career-high nine tackles, including six solo stops, and forcing two fumbles. He also contributed a sack, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup in the victory. Both forced fumbles marked the first two of his Tennessee career and the second and third of his collegiate career.
Moss became the fourth Tennessee player since 2019 to force two fumbles in a single game and was the first Volunteer to do so since Edrees Farooq against Oklahoma on Nov. 1, 2025. His sack matched his career best, while his six solo tackles alone surpassed his previous career high of five total tackles.
SEC Weekly Awards – Week 10 (Nov. 9, 2026)
Offensive Player of the Week
Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Defensive Player of the Week
Arion Carter, LB, Tennessee
Special Teams Player of the Week
Brock Taylor, K, Vanderbilt
Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week
Michael Fasusi, OT, Oklahoma
Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia
Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week
Anthony Addison, EDGE, South Carolina
Devan Thompkins, DE, Alabama
Freshman of the Week
Shadarius Toodle, LB, Auburn
Tennessee Football – 2026 SEC Weekly Honors
Offensive Player of the Week
DeSean Bishop (vs. Auburn, 10/5/26)
Defensive Player of the Week
Dejuan Lane (vs. Auburn, 10/5/26)
Arion Carter (vs. Kentucky, 11/9/26)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Jackson Ross (vs. Auburn, 10/5/26)
Cooper Ranvier (vs. Alabama, 10/19/26)
Defensive Lineman of the Week
Tyree Weathersby (vs. Alabama, 10/19/26)
Freshman of the Week
Faizon Brandon (vs. Furman, 9/7/26; vs. Georgia Tech, 9/14/26)
