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Tennessee football: Five takeaways from Vols’ wild 31-26 loss to Ole Miss

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus (11) closes in on Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral (2) during a football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football Bp
Tennessee defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus (11) closes in on Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral (2) during a football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football Bp /
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Mississippi wide receiver Braylon Sanders (13) misses a pass into the end zone as Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor (2) defends during an SEC football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football
Mississippi wide receiver Braylon Sanders (13) misses a pass into the end zone as Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor (2) defends during an SEC football game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.Kns Tennessee Ole Miss Football /

3. Injuries kept both offenses out of rhythm.

Heading into the game, this was already an issue on both sides. Ole Miss was without Braylon Sanders and Jonathan Mingo on offense. That had a lot to do with Matt Corral struggling in the passing game and the offense not dominating throughout the night.

On the other side, Tennessee football was banged up on the interior of the offensive line. Cooper Mays remains banged up, but his brother Cade Mays also got hurt. In the most UT scenario possible, Mays got hurt on a play that was blown dead so the SEC refs could review the first bad spot that was made in this game.

Most importantly, Tiyon Evans, the Vols’ most productive skill player, was also out in this game. Jabari Small and Len’Neth Whitehead were serviceable, but Evans’ injury proved devastating to UT’s offense on this night.

Then came what happened in the course of this game. Both offenses, which like to run tempo and no-huddle, were kept out of rhythm because of injuries that kept happening. Some seemed fake on both sides, and it’s time for the NCAA to adopt a rule that a player who stops play due to injury has to leave at least for that possession or maybe the quarter, whichever is longer.

This all made for somewhat of an anticlimactic ending, as Hendon Hooker got hurt on the final drive, which wrecked his chances to be the hero. Before that, Matt Corral was hurt on a play, which allowed the Vols to get a third down stop. It also completely explains why both teams had trouble scoring the way they usually do.

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