How sweet it is to wake up being a Vol and not a Wildcat. On Saturday night, the stage was set for No. 8 Kentucky to flip the script in the rivalry with Tennessee, but come on, a complete and total destruction was posted by the home team. Tennessee crushed Kentucky 34-6, with the second half being a one-sided affair.
Josh Heupel was all smiles after the final whistle, and it's easy to see why. Both sides of the ball dominated, and while there were still some mental mistakes, a lot of stuff was cleaned up. With all of that said, we've got our main winners and losers from the action, with Tennessee studs dominating the list.
Daune Morris (winner) got the party started at Neyland in a big way
With the Tennessee offense struggling to get into rhythm in the first half, someone needed to deliver. Enter Daune Morris. The backup running back took a handoff from George MacIntyre, turned upfield, and would not be denied for a long touchdown run. Matter of fact, it was a 66-yard sprint for the speedster. DeSean Bishop also had another monster game with 109 yards and two TDs, but Morris deserves a ton of love for his 85-yard showing.
Qua Moss (winner) stole the show on defense for the Vols
While Dejuan Lane deserves a ton of credit too for his interception, how about a round of applause for safety Qua Moss? Moss was a total force in this one, leading the way with his two forced fumbles. They truly could not have come at a better time, too, as the Wildcats were hoping to get something cooking on offense, but Moss lowered his shoulder perfectly to lay a pop on the ball. Heupel immediately showed Moss love after the final whistle for being a game-changer. Moss was a rockstar in the win.
Qua Moss coming in hot for takeaway No. 3!
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) November 8, 2026
📺 ESPN
📲 https://t.co/iIPCet9F7n pic.twitter.com/cgDkPngqy1
Faizon Brandon (winner) was able to shine for Tennessee when his number was called
On paper, it'd look like a rough night for Faizon Brandon for a casual fan. However, you just know the win likely meant the world to the 5-star freshman. After not seeing action since the win over Auburn last month, Brandon's number was called a few times against Kentucky, with the QB taking full advantage.
His two biggest plays came via a 29-yard run to help set up a field goal for the Vols, plus a 24-yard flip pass to Mike Matthews to give Tennessee a 20-6 lead early on in the fourth quarter. Brandon has faced a ton of adversity in 2026, but it was pretty dang cool to see him fired up again.
Kentucky fans who painted The Rock (losers) were hit with instant karma
Before kickoff, some Kentucky pranksters decided to give 'The Rock' on campus a makeover, covering it in blue paint with some pro-Wildcats messages. It was pretty awful, which had countless Vols fans annoyed. Thankfully, it was quickly painted over, while this silly act was taken care of on the field. Time and time again, Kentucky supporters think the Wildcats will be able to land a proverbial haymaker on the Vols. And time and time again, it doesn't happen. Tennessee dominated, with those fans with blue paint on their fingers having a long ride home.
Josh Heupel (winner) still has his team in the College Football Playoff hunt
Everyone knew what was at stake for this Tennessee vs. Kentucky contest. With a loss, any hope of the Vols reaching the College Football Playoff would end. Luckily, Heupel's players played some ticked off football, handling their SEC rival with ease.
Tennessee should fly into the Top 10 of the CFP rankings during the next release, but the overall picture doesn't change much. The Vols HAVE to win their last three games of the season to get in. Next up is a road tilt at Texas A&M, which could be tricky. Still, following the win over Kentucky, Tennessee has proven once again that it's a force. This could spell trouble for the Aggies in Week 11.
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