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Tennessee football: Top five performers in Vols’ 48-45 OT loss to Purdue

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue
Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue /
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Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman (4) runs for a touchdown at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue
Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman (4) runs for a touchdown at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue /

player. 839. Pick Analysis. Wide receiver. Junior. Cedric Tillman. Scouting Report. 2

7 catches, 150 yards, 3 TDs

Is anybody surprised by this one? Cedric Tillman had been consistently getting better towards the end of the year as a wideout, and he came through again in this one. He was the reason that Tennessee football once again had such a strong first quarter.

Purdue decided to single coverage Tillman early on. Well, the Vols took advantage. On the opening drive, he caught a 41-yard touchdown pass. In the same quarter, he outdid himself. Two drives later, after Purdue had tied the game up, Tillman caught a 61-yard touchdown pass, going for over 100 yards in the first quarter alone.

He wasn’t done, though. In the fourth quarter, after Purdue was up 38-31 and Jabari Small had that 60-yard run, the Vols weren’t able to cash in. A penalty pushed them back to the 13-yard line and brought up a 4th and goal. Well, Tillman caught a touchdown pass there in the fourth quarter on a slant route.

Tillman could have won the game at the end of regulation as well, as he beat single coverage for a clear touchdown. However, he was clearly held on the play, slowing up his route, and the refs missed it, so the ball was overthrown. Either way, though, he played a heck of a game and was once again the top receiver.

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