Tennessee football: Top five Vols performers in 30-17 loss at Auburn

3 TFLs; 2 sacks; 5 tackles (3 solo)

A major positive of Tennessee football over the past couple games is how Kivon Bennett has undoubtedly turned into a breakout star. He had a mini-breakout season last year and was expected to play well alongside Deandre Johnson this year, but recently, he has been the best player on the defense and the face of the pass rush.

This marked the second straight game that Bennett had multiple sacks, and he now has four and a half on the year. Add in the fact that he had another tackle for a loss, and he was a playmaker throughout the night, even more than Matthew Butler was off the edge.

Bennett’s sacks came in key moments as well. They both were on a field goal drive that put Auburn up 13-10, but one brought up a 3rd and long that the UT secondary just couldn’t maintain on. The other was on a 2nd and 9 in the red zone and brought up a 3rd and 20, which forced the Tigers to settle for a field goal.

Thanks to those sacks, Bennett still had the Vols in this game and in position to take the lead late in the third quarter. It’s not his fault the secondary, the kicking game and the passing game couldn’t come through for him.