Parker McCollum Loved Performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Parker McCollum Loved Performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Posted on November 30, 2021

Did you catch Parker McCollum‘s recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Parker performed his Top-20 (and climbing) hit “To Be Loved By You” – which is from his album, Gold Chain Cowboy.

Watch Parker’s Kimmel Live performance here…

After being on the show Parker shared, “Performing on late night has been on my bucket list since I was 12 years old and getting to be on Jimmy Kimmel Live! was something I’ll never forget.”

McCollum added, “‘To Be Loved By You’ is a special song to me and I’m so glad I got to bring it to a new audience. I’m extremely thankful for the year I’ve had and I can’t wait for 2022!”

Before Parker starts the new year, he has a handful of shows to finish off 2021 – check out his schedule (as of now) through early April…

12/2 The Factory, Chesterfield, MO

12/3 Egyptian Room at the Old National Centre, Indianapolis, IN

12/4 Goodyear Theater, Akron, OH

12/31 Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX

1/1 AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

1/13 Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, FL

1/14 House of Blues – The Front Porch, Orlando, FL

1/15 James Brown Arena, Augusta, GA

1/20 The Signal, Chattanooga, TN

1/21 The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC

1/22 The Ritz, Raleigh, NC

1/25 Mile Zero Fest 2022, Key West Landings, FL

1/29 Bell County Expo Center, Belton, TX

2/4 Coyote Joe’s, Charlotte, NC

2/5 The Blind Horse Saloon, Greenville, SC

2/10 The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD

2/11 Toad’s Place, New Haven, CT

2/12 Irving Plaza, New York, NY

3/11 Fillmore New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

3/14 Casa Fiesta 2022, Cancun, Mexico

4/8 The Blue Room, Statesboro, GA

Parker recently released a performance video for his song “Falling Apart” – which, along with “To Be Loved By You”, is from his album, Gold Chain Cowboy.

Photo Credit: ABC/Randy Holmes

Jaylen Wright Honored as SEC Freshman of the Week

Jaylen Wright Honored as SEC Freshman of the Week

Posted on November 29, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright was named the SEC Freshman of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

Wright is the second UT player to earn freshman of the week honors this season, joining fellow running back Len’Neth Whitehead, who did so after his performance against Missouri. He is the sixth Vol to earn SEC weekly honors overall this year.

Vols RB Jaylen Wright / Credit: UT Athletics

The Durham, North Carolina, native rushed for a game-high and career-best 112 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown as Tennessee topped Vanderbilt 45-21 in the regular season finale. Wright, stepping up in an injured Vol backfield, averaged 7.5 yards per carry while 46 of his rushing yards came after contact. He was part of a UT ground attack that finished with 285 rushing yards, 100 yards above what the Commodores came into the contest allowing per game.

Of Wright’s 112 yards, 86 came in the second half, including a 10-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap his impressive day. In the month of November, Wright led all SEC freshmen in rushing yards per game (64.75) and total rushing yards (259).

With last Saturday’s win over Vanderbilt, Tennessee improved to 7-5 on the year and will find out its bowl destination sometime in the afternoon on Sunday, Dec. 5.

Tennessee 2021 SEC Weekly Honors

QB Hendon Hooker – Offensive (Nov. 8)
DB Brandon Turnage – Defensive (Oct. 11)
OL Cade Mays – Offensive Line (Oct. 4 & Nov. 8)
RB Len’Neth Whitehead – Freshman (Oct. 4)
RB Jaylen Wright – Freshman (Nov. 29)
RS Velus Jones Jr. – Special Teams (Nov. 22)

-UT Athletics

CMA Country Christmas Airs Tonight, Monday November 29th, with Hosts Carly Pearce & Gabby Barrett

CMA Country Christmas Airs Tonight, Monday November 29th, with Hosts Carly Pearce & Gabby Barrett

Posted on November 29, 2021

The Country Music Association‘s Annual Country Christmas is scheduled to air tonight, Monday November 29th, on ABC TV with Carly Pearce and Gabby Barrett handling the hosting duties.

Carly shared, “SO thrilled to be hosting CMA Country Christmas with the beautiful Gabby Barrett!”

Gabby also said, “CMA Country Christmas – you can expect a lot of funny just crazy fun Christmas spirit. I have never done hosting before for something so I was very excited to do it with my good friend Carly Pearce and I think we bounced off each other really well there was just there’s some good acting and all the things and wonderful performances there’s an amazing lineup so just get ready for some hot Cocoa and some Christmas spirit”

Carly and Gabby will be hosting with musical guests Jimmie Allen with Louis York & The Shindellas, BRELAND, Brett Eldredge, Lady A, Pistol Annies, Carrie Underwood, and Lainey Wilson

Good Morning America recently shared a preview of Carly and Gabby performing “Sleigh Ride” from CMA Country Christmas…

Watch CMA Country Christmas tonight, Monday November 29th, on ABC TV.

Photo Credit: Hunter Berry/CMA

Cody Johnson Thinks “‘Til You Can’t” Has A Message That People Need to Hear

Cody Johnson Thinks “‘Til You Can’t” Has A Message That People Need to Hear

Posted on November 29, 2021

Cody Johnson recently released Human – The Double Album.

Cody says that the first single from that project is something everyone should hear, “‘Til You Can’t” is an opportunity for me to give a good message. Not only did I think that people needed to hear the message of take chances and go out and do the things. Tell people you love them. Tell them you’re sorry. Really live life until you can’t. Not only did they need to hear it, I needed to hear it. Every night that I’ve played this song on stage it’s completely changed my perspective on things that were going on in my own life.”

You can listen to that message here…

Photo Credit: Chris Douglas

Kelsea Ballerini Stopped By The Drew Barrymore Show To Talk Poetry and Mailboxes

Kelsea Ballerini Stopped By The Drew Barrymore Show To Talk Poetry and Mailboxes

Posted on November 29, 2021

Did you catch Kelsea Ballerini‘s recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show?

Along with talking about her new book of poetry, Feel Your Way Through, with Drew Barrymore…Kelsea shared stories about a very awkward first meeting with Miranda Lambert, how she reminded Reese Witherspoon of a line from Sweet Home Alabama, and how Kelsea reclaimed her childhood mailbox after she filmed the video for “Half Of My Hometown.”

Watch the conversation here…

Kelsea also stuck around to tackle stains with Drew – watch the segment here…

During the interview Drew congratulated Kelsea on her two CMA Award wins for her song with Kenny Chesney…check out the video for “Half Of My Hometown” here…

Photo Courtesy of Kelsea Ballerini

Hoops Preview: #15 Tennessee vs. Presbyterian

Hoops Preview: #15 Tennessee vs. Presbyterian

Posted on November 28, 2021

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 15th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team is back in action Tuesday, taking on Presbyterian at 7 p.m. ET at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Isaiah Sulack – UT G / Credit: UT Athletics

Fans can catch Tuesday’s game on SEC Network and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Dane Bradshaw (analysis) will have the call.
 
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp calling the action. The broadcast is also available on channel 138 on Sirius, channel 190 on SiriusXM and channel 961 on the SiriusXM app.
 
Tennessee is coming off of an 80-69 win over Tennessee Tech on Black Friday in which five Vols reached double-digit scoring. Junior forward Olivier Nkamhoua led UT with 18 points on 8-for-8 shooting, while Kennedy Chandler (15 points), John Fulkerson (14), Santiago Vescovi (13) and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (12) joined him in double figures. Vescovi added seven assists, seven rebounds and three steals to his 13 points, while Chandler had a career-high five steals.
 
Tuesday marks the fourth all-time meeting between Tennessee and Presbyterian and the third during the Rick Barnes era. The Vols have won the two meetings under Barnes by an average of 37.5 points per game.
 
Up next, Tennessee heads west to take on Colorado in Boulder, Colorado on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on FOX Sports 1. Following that game, the Vols will head straight to New York City ahead of UT’s game against Texas Tech on Tuesday, Dec. 7 at Madison Square Garden.
 
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Presbyterian, 3-0, dating to 2012. All meetings have taken place at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• The Vols’ average margin of victory in this series is 27.0 points.
• Tuesday marks the first time that Tennessee will face the Blue Hose as a top-25 team.
• Tennessee is 26-0 all-time against current members of the Big South Conference. And Rick Barnes is 21-0 against Big South opposition as a head coach.
• The last time these teams met was the 2017-18 season-opener. The Vols’ top-three scorers were Admiral Schofield (22), Jordan Bowden (15) and Grant Williams (14). Williams now plays for the Boston Celtics, while Schofield and Bowden currently play for the G League’s Lakeland Magic and the Long Island Nets, respectively.
 
SCOUTING REPORT
• Tennessee owned the highest assists average (19.0 apg) and the best assist/turnover ratio (1.53) in the SEC, through Nov. 26.
• The Vols’ 19.0 assists per game rank 12th nationally. Tennessee’s 28 assists in the Nov. 21 win over North Carolina tied a Barnes-era high.
• UT’s backcourt duo of Kennedy Chandler and Santiago Vescovi is averaging 30.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game while shooting .419 from 3-point range.
• Junior Olivier Nkamhoua was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field for a team-high 18 points Friday against Tennessee Tech. He has made his last 10 field-goal attempts.
• Vols junior Josiah-Jordan James has been sidelined with a left (shooting) hand injury.
• 44 percent of Tennessee’s points this season have been scored by first-year Vols (178 of 406).
 
LAYUP LINES
• Later this week, the Vols embark on a six-day, two-game, 3,909-mile road trip that takes them from Rocky Top to Boulder, Colorado, and then to New York City before returning home.
• Saturday’s game at Colorado will be just the second game the Vols have ever played in The Centennial State. Tennessee logged a 64-63 win at Colorado in Boulder on Dec. 8, 1981.
 
A WIN WOULD…
• Extend Tennessee’s home win streak to five games, dating to last season.
• Preserve Tennessee’s perfect record against current members of the Big South Conference.
 
ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN
• Founded in 1880 and located in Clinton, South Carolina, Presbyterian College is a member of the Big South Conference.
• Presbyterian is coached by Quinton Ferrell, who is in his third season as head coach after having previously served as an assistant on the Blue Hose’s staff from 2007-12.
• Presbyterian enters Tuesday’s game against Tennessee coming off of winning the University of New Orleans Classic title, as the Blue Hose went 3-0  in New Orleans with wins over VMI, New Orleans and Central Arkansas.
• The Blue Hose’s two losses this season have come at the hands of major conference teams—at Clemson on Nov. 9 and at Cincinnati on Nov. 18.
• Sophomore guard Rayshon Harrison leads Presbyterian in scoring (21.3 ppg) and assists (2.4 apg) and is second on the team in rebounds (5.4 rpg).
• Through the games of Nov. 27, Harrison’s 21.3 points per game are tied for 16th in Division I.
• The 2021 Big South Freshman of the Year, Harrison was named Preseason All-Big South First Team in a vote by the league’s head coaches and a media panel. As a freshman in 2020-21, Harrison was the third highest scoring freshman in the nation, averaging a team-leading 17.3 points per game.
• Presbyterian’s 16.3 offensive rebounds per game this season rank third in all of Division I.
• Tennessee and Presbyterian are meeting for the fourth time ever and third time during the Rick Barnes era. The Vols have won the two meetings under Barnes by an average of 37.5 points per game.
 
LAST MEETING WITH PRESBYTERIAN
•  Tennessee used a 28-0 run in the first half to fuel its way to an 88-53 victory over Presbyterian in its season-opener on Nov. 10, 2017, at Thompson-Boling Arena in front of 15,047 fans.
•  After Presbyterian scored the opening basket of the game, the Vols did not yield a point over the next nine minutes to help build a 46-14 lead going into halftime. UT also kept the Blue Hose scoreless over the final 2:11 of the opening frame while holding them to 26 percent shooting.
•  Jordan Bowden led the way offensively for the Vols in the first half, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Bowden finished with 15 points and five rebounds.
•  Admiral Schofield went for a game-high and career-high-tying 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting while posting five rebounds. Grant Williams added 14 points and a team-high seven boards.
•  Redshirt freshman forward John Fulkerson dished out a team-high five assists in his first action since suffering a season-ending injury in Tennessee’s 10th game last season (Dec. 15, 2016).
•  The victory marked the 400th home win of UT head coach Rick Barnes‘ head coaching career.
 
STEALS SURPRISINGLY SURGING
• Tennessee is logging steals at its highest rate of the Barnes era, averaging 10.0 per game.
• For UT’s first six seasons under Barnes, the Vols posted impressive blocked-shot totals while employing “solid” perimeter defense—very little gambling and jumping passing lanes.
• Through Barnes’ first six seasons on Rocky Top, Tennessee averaged 6.0 steals per game. And UT’s highest per-game average during that span was 7.3 steals per game last season (with two first-round NBA Draft picks manning the wings).
 
FULKERSON CLOSING IN ON VOLS’ GAMES PLAYED RECORD
• By taking advantage of a sixth (COVID) year this season, John Fulkerson appears poised to break Tennessee’s program record for career games played.
 
RANK    PLAYER, YEARS                       GP
1            Wayne Chism, 2006-10              142
2            Cameron Tatum, 2008-12           138
T-3        John Fulkerson, 2016-Pres.         136
T-3        Josh Richardson, 2011-15           136
5            Kyle Alexander, 2015-19             135
T-6        Jordan Bowden, 2016-20             132
T-6        Admiral Schofield, 2015-19          132
 
ESPN EXPERTS RATE VOLS AMONG LEADERS IN PRO TALENT
• ESPN draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz in mid-November ranked which teams have the most talent in the college game in 2021-22. They aimed to identify teams with “the most players who will eventually make money playing basketball, whether in the NBA or elsewhere.”
• Tennessee was rated fifth on their list. The top four teams were Duke, Gonzaga, Auburn and UCLA.
According to Givony: “Rick Barnes has made Knoxville a destination for NBA scouts with the success he has had in developing pros. He has one of his deepest, most talented teams ever this season.”
 
SENIOR CITIZEN FULKY SEEKING COMMUNITY SERVICE CREDIT
• 24-year-old super senior John Fulkerson was asked after Tennessee’s Nov. 26 game against Tennessee Tech about playing alongside four freshmen during the first half of the eventual win.
• Fulkerson’s response: “I’m trying to get community service hours in for babysitting.”
• Fulkerson went on to explain that the four-freshmen lineup made him think back to his true freshman season (2016-17), when he and fellow freshmen Grant Williams, Jordan Bone and Jordan Bowden joined senior Robert Hubbs III on the court at times.

-UT Athletics

Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 11/10 Lady Vols Roll Past Oklahoma State, 80-55

Postgame/Stats/Story: No. 11/10 Lady Vols Roll Past Oklahoma State, 80-55

Posted on November 28, 2021

Box Score (PDF) | Kellie Harper Presser | Jordan Horston Presser

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – No. 11/10 Tennessee improved to 6-0 on the season, shooting 55 percent from the field to defeat Oklahoma State at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout on Saturday, 80-55.

The Lady Vols, who opened with six straight wins for the second time in three seasons under Kellie Harper, were led by junior guard Jordan Horston, who narrowly missed a triple-double with 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Junior center Tamari Key turned in a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and freshman guard/forward Sara Puckett and graduate forward Alexus Dye both tallied 11 points.

Taylen Collins and Lauren Fields were the high scorers for the Cowgirls (3-3) with 12 each.

Tamari Key – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics

Dye opened the scoring for the game, putting UT on the board 11 seconds in, and graduate guard Jordan Walker followed it up with a three a minute later to put the Lady Vols ahead by five. Fields hit a free throw to get OSU on the board, but sophomore guard/forward Tess Darby knocked down a 3-pointer on the next possession to give UT its largest lead of the quarter at 8-1. Collins converted on the three-point play on the Cowgirls’ next trip down the floor to cut the deficit to five, and the teams traded buckets through the 2:39 mark when Oklahoma State closed out the quarter with a 6-2 run to send the game into the second period with UT ahead 18-16.

Key was the first to score in the second stanza, hitting a layup to set off a 13-2 run that put the Lady Vols ahead by 13 at the media timeout. Fields hit a jumper with 3:26 left in the half to give the Cowgirls some momentum, and she and Collins combined to pull OSU back within 11 by the 1:51 mark, but the Lady Vols finished the half with an 8-0 run to forge a 44-25 lead at the break.

Tennessee picked up where it left off in the second half, opening with eight unanswered points from Horston, Darby and Dye to go up 52-25. Tracey Bershers ended the OSU drought with a three at the 7:38 mark, and the teams swapped baskets through the media timeout. Key hit a pair of free throws following the break to put the Lady Vols up 58-33, and N’Yah Boyd responded with a jumper before Key and graduate forward Keyen Green scored on back-to-back plays to extend UT’s lead to 27. Collins knocked down a layup for the Cowgirls with 1:33 left in the quarter, but freshman guard Kaiya Wynn and Walker combined for three points to send the game into the fourth with Tennessee up 67-39.

Lexy Keys scored on a fast break to cut UT’s lead to 26 at the start of the final stanza, but Wynn responded with a layup on the other end to set off a 7-0 Tennessee run that saw that Lady Vols move ahead by 33 with 7:18 to play. Tennessee’s reserves got to see some quality action in the closing minutes, with all 12 active players playing at least eight minutes in the game as UT closed the contest out with a comfortable 25-point victory.

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will return home to host Tennessee Tech on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will be available for streaming on SECN+.

TAKING AN EARLY LEAD IN THE BIG 12 AND AAC: Tennessee improved to 3-0 vs. Big 12 Conference schools, taking care of No. 12/21 Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma State in succession. Prior to that, the Lady Vols defeated American Athletic Conference schools UCF and No. 23/22 South Florida in back-to-back contests to go 2-0 vs. that league.

DOUBLING UP: Tamari Key logged her third double-double of the season against the Cowgirls with 12 points and 11 rebounds to tie Jordan Horston for the team lead. A Lady Vol has logged a double-double in every game thus far this season.

BALANCED ATTACK: Four Lady Vols turned in double-digit scoring (Horston, Key, Dye, Puckett), while 11 of 12 active players scored at least one point. After missing the opener due to injury, Horston has led Tennessee in scoring in all five contests after that.

OUTSHOOTING THE COWGIRLS: Tennessee had its best shooting effort of the season by far. The Lady Vols hit 54.7 percent of their field goal attempts, soaring past their previous best of 42.6 vs. Southern Illinois in the opener. Their 69.2 effort at the free-throw line also was a season best.

OWNING THE GLASS: Tennessee out-rebounded OSU, 52-26. The Lady Vols have won the rebounding battle against every opponent this season, averaging 39.2 rpg. while holding opposing teams to 27.8 rpg. on average. UT posted 50+ rebounds vs. all three Big 12 schools it faced, including 56 against Texas, 55 vs. Kansas and 51 vs. Oklahoma State.

-UT Athletics

Postgame Quotes/Notes/Story: Vols Run Through Commodores In Regular Season Finale, 45-21

Postgame Quotes/Notes/Story: Vols Run Through Commodores In Regular Season Finale, 45-21

Posted on November 28, 2021

Final Book (PDF) | Postgame Notes (PDF) | Postgame Quotes (PDF)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football rounded out the 2021 regular season with a 45-21 Senior Day victory over in-state rival Vanderbilt on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
 
The Vols had a pair of 100-yard rushers for the second time this year as freshman Jaylen Wright and sophomore Jabari Small took 15 carries each for 112 and 103 yards, respectively. Tennessee averaged 6.8 yards per rush, totaling 285 yards on the ground for its fourth game above 250 yards rushing this season.
 
Redshirt senior quarterback Hendon Hooker delivered another efficient performance for UT, producing 231 total yards (156 passing, 75 rushing) and passing for a pair of touchdowns. The signal caller has thrown a touchdown in 11 consecutive games, matching Erik Ainge (2004-05) and Peyton Manning (1995-96) for the fourth-longest streak in program history.

Vols RB Jaylen Wright / Credit: UT Athletics

Redshirt junior wide receiver Cedric Tillman led all receivers Saturday with six catches for 106 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Las Vegas native has a touchdown catch in each of his last six games, becoming the first Vol to accomplish the feat since Joey Kent in 1995. Tillman is also the first Vol to record 100-plus receiving yards in three consecutive games since Da’Rick Rogers did so in 2011.
 
Tennessee’s linebacking duo of Jeremy Banks and Aaron Beasley led the defensive unit with 12 and 10 tackles, respectively. Banks has registered 108 stops this season, becoming the first Vol to post 100 or more tackles since Jalen Reeves-Maybin had 105 in 2015.
 
Super senior defensive back Theo Jackson opened the scoring with his first career pick-six on Vanderbilt’s fifth play from scrimmage. The Nashville native jumped the comeback route, picking off Vanderbilt QB Mike Wright’s pass to the left sideline and returning it 55 yards to the checkerboard. Redshirt senior placekicker Chase McGrath knocked the PAT through the uprights—his 125th consecutive made extra point—to give the Vols a 7-0 edge with 12:20 left in the first quarter. Jackson’s pick-six was Tennessee’s third interception returned for a touchdown this season, its most since housing four picks in 2013.
 
Tennessee (7-5, 4-4 SEC) doubled its lead in the second quarter with a 12-play, 59-yard touchdown drive that used 4:10 of game clock. Small punctuated the possession with a six-yard touchdown rush up the middle before McGrath’s extra point made it 14-0 Vols with 9:05 remaining in the first half. Wright garnered a bulk of the touches on the scoring series, taking four carries for 27 yards and picking up three first downs.
 
On UT’s next offensive possession, Tillman reeled in his eighth touchdown of the season with a 24-yard scoring grab over the middle. The catch capped a nine-play, 53-yard drive for the Big Orange and McGrath connected on his third PAT of the afternoon to put UT up 21-0 on the Commodores with 4:22 on the first half clock.
 
After UT forced a Vanderbilt three-and-out on the ensuing drive, the Vols marched their way into field goal range—aided by Hooker’s 28 rushing yards on back-to-back plays in the series. McGrath stepped up and connected on a 31-yard field goal try to give Tennessee a 24-0 edge with 42 seconds remaining in the half.
 
Vanderbilt (2-10, 0-8 SEC) broke up the shutout with a 56-yard Hail Mary on the final play of the first half. Quarterback Mike Wright escaped the pocket and scrambled to his right before launching the ball to the end zone, where sophomore wideout Will Sheppard snared it between a pair of Tennessee defenders and fell into the end zone as time expired. The Vols went into halftime up 24-7.
 
The Vols responded to Vanderbilt’s end-of-half score with a quick two-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the second half. Hooker broke off a 29-yard run on a read option before delivering the ball to Tillman for a 46-yard catch-and-run scoring strike. McGrath was true on the extra point, and UT took a 31-7 lead with 14:27 to go in the third quarter.
 
The Commodores emerged from halftime ready to trade blows, putting together a touchdown drive of their own with a 13-play, 75-yard series that consumed 7:59 of game clock. Running back Rocko Griffith took his ninth carry of the drive 13 yards into the end zone to cut the deficit to 31-13. Vanderbilt had its sights set on a two-possession ballgame, but Wright’s pass attempt on the two-point conversion fell incomplete.
 
UT’s quick-strike offense extended the Tennessee lead yet again on the next series, using four plays to go 65 yards in just 76 seconds. Hooker was 3-for-3 for 40 yards on the drive while Small toted two carries for 25 yards, finishing the series with an 11-yard rush to the right side for his second touchdown of the night. McGrath’s fifth PAT gave the Big Orange a 38-13 edge with 5:12 remaining in the third.
 
Vanderbilt drained 10:55 of game clock with an extensive 20-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Mike Wright’s four-yard QB keeper for a touchdown. The Commodore signal caller then rifled the ball to fifth-year senior Chris Pierce Jr. in the back of the end zone on the two-point conversion to make it a 38-21 ballgame.
 
After Byron Young’s sack caused a Vanderbilt turnover on downs at the VU16, Jaylen Wright broke through with a 10-yard touchdown run to give UT its sixth 40-point performance of the season. McGrath knocked through his sixth PAT of the night to cement the game’s final score, 45-21 in favor of the Big Orange. Wright finished the contest with a career-high 112 yards to lead all rushers on Saturday.
 
Tennessee will now await its bowl destination after reaching postseason eligibility with a 7-5 regular-season record in its first season under head coach Josh Heupel. Bowl announcements are set for Sunday, Dec. 5.

-UT Athletics

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