Tennessee
From Cannon Peebles to Dylan Dreiling, Tennessee baseball’s win vs Florida State had many heroes
OMAHA, Neb. — Dylan Dreiling kicked his legs from side to side.
The Tennessee baseball outfielder glanced up in the on-deck circle as Florida State reliever Connor Hults warmed up. He didn’t need to watch much. He knew what was coming.
The scouting report told Dreiling that Hults threw 100% curveballs in his last outing. Dreiling sold out believing Hults would do it again — and he did.
Two pitches later, a shirtless Dreiling gallivanted around the outfield at Charles Schwab Field, overcome by his overjoyed teammates amid the hysteria of a walk-off winner Friday in the College World Series.
“I just knew Dylan was going to get it done,” outfielder Kavares Tears said. “It was a matter of time. It’s Dylan Dreiling.”
Dreiling belted the winning hit into left-center field for the finishing touch on an improbable ninth-inning rally in a 12-11 win against the Seminoles. The plucky push spanned eight hitters, resulted in four runs and cemented itself as the latest rendition of Tennessee late-game lore.
Tennessee baseball never stopped fighting vs Florida State
Christian Moore took his one big swing to tie the game. He fouled off the fastball he hunted and turned to the Tennessee dugout, where coach Tony Vitello was so wound up, he gripped a handful of dirt.
“Let’s fight,” Moore said three times.
He was down to his final strike with two outs in a two-run game when he uttered those words during Tennessee’s awakening. The Vols played sloppy baseball for the first half of the game, pairing fielding miscues with subpar pitching.
None of it mattered in the ninth inning.
“We throw jabs all game,” first baseman Blake Burke said. “We throw jabs and when we can throw a big blow, we do it.”
Tennessee unleashed all sorts of punches in the ninth inning, which it began trailing 11-8. Tears crushed a triple to center and scored on a Dean Curley sacrifice fly after the freshman fell behind 1-2.
Cannon Peebles, who has emerged as a pinch-hitting dynamo, earned a full-count walk that had a significant two-strike foul. Cal Stark popped out, but turned the lineup over in the process to Moore.
The junior had already hit for the cycle after destroying a 440-foot homer to center. He flirted with doing it again on a 2-1 pitch before reaching out to rope a double into the left-field corner. Burke strode to the plate with two on in an 11-9 game and had lofty dreams.
“I thought I was going to Drew Gilbert that at-bat,” Burke said. “I got down two strikes and I wiped that mindset and I just battled. I was working for my guys.”
Burke, whose 2-2 check swing went in UT’s favor, plastered a single to centerfield to score two. He spun to his teammates in a frenzy with the game tied.
Tennessee baseball’s ‘masterpiece’ completed by Dylan Dreiling
The realization hit Vitello pregame Friday.
Tennessee, which has a wild recent history of incredible late-game moments, didn’t have a walk-off win this season.
“Win — that kind of was the only thing going through our minds in the ninth inning,” Tears said.
Billy Amick singled to bring FSU coach Link Jarrett out to make a pitching change. He opted for Hults. Vols associate head coach Josh Elander showed the hitters the scouting report that noted Hults’ curveball commitment.
DYLAN: The summer that set Dylan Dreiling on path as Tennessee baseball’s quiet superstar
Tears took off his helmet in the dugout when Dreiling went up. He knew the game was over. Dreiling watched an inside curveball, then scalded the next offering over the FSU outfield into the gap. He watched Seminoles center fielder DeAmez Ross track the ball, but knew he wasn’t going to get it.
Dreiling shed his helmet before he reached first base. Burke did likewise as he crossed the plate as the winning run. Amick jumped for joy on the basepaths.
“It was kind of a masterpiece,” Moore said. “It was beautiful baseball right there.”
Dreiling bounded for the outfield, where his teammates chased him down and ripped off his jersey. Moore embraced him with Tennessee (56-12) advancing to play North Carolina (48-14) on Sunday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). Outfielder Hunter Ensley picked Dreiling up.
“When you trust the eight or nine guys out there with you, you can do stuff like that — what we just did,” Moore said. “It is an insane thing but it is kind of the beauty of it.”
Vitello scooped up Dreiling’s bat after the game. He kissed it, thankful for the magic of the moment.
All it took was one pitch — and that pitch was a curveball.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
One of the nation’s fast-rising 7v7 events made it back to the Atlanta area as The Sevens 7v7 tournament was held at Peachtree Ridge High School over the weekend.
Many of the top organizations across the country registered and entered the tournament such as Hustle INC, C1N, NPA, 24K Cold Hearts, and Fast Houston.
The amount of star power each brand displayed with many of the top athletes from all of the country was insane to fathom.
One of the nation’s coveted 2028 cornerbacks was in attendance as Jermaine Cobbins and NPA showed up on a mission.
NPA earned the number 1 seed during pool play on the first day of the event. The team fell just short of the championship game, but the players went down swinging.
Vols on SI caught up with Cobbins to discuss any recruiting updates, and to shed light on an off-field story that deserves some attention.
Jermaine Cobbins Update
“The recruitment is going great,” Cobbins said.
“You know, a lot of teams are showing love,” Cobbins continued. Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M were a few schools mentioned to be showing a lot of love to the Tennessee native.
Cobbins has plans to get on the road once dead period is over.
March 2- Auburn
March 6- USC (potentially)
March 13- Alabama
March 17- Georgia
March 19- Tennessee
March 21- Vanderbilt
As Cobbins is wrapping up his sophomore year and on his way to becoming a junior, the pace will pick up as schools will come on stronger as some will fall back. The talented defender has to check boxes of his on while spending time with each school.
“The main thing I’ll be looking for is probably how much love are they going to be showing, their background (track record), and how the coaches coach,” Cobbins explained.
With a visit to Rocky Top in a few weeks looming, this will be the first time Cobbins has made it to Tennessee since the staff changes on the defense.
Cobbins had a relationship with Coach Michael Hunter Jr., who joined the Volunteers staff for a very short time before taking an opportunity in the NFL.
“Me and the corners coach had a great relationship, he came (to UT) but he left out for the NFL, so kudos to him. Love that for him. I’ve met Coach Poindexter. He’s a great coach,” Cobbins said.
The coaching staff at Tennessee stands out to the Springfield (TN) student-athlete as, “they coach at a high level.” Cobbins would go on to describe how the Vols pulling in great talent truly has an impact because you get to practice against some talented players day in and day out.
Cobbins Gives Back
Cobbins recently had the opportunity to give back to the next generation, and it was no surprise to see this act carried out, so Vols on SI had to ask about this act of kindness before concluding the interview.
“That was very important (to me), you know. It just really made me feel good inside. I always love giving back to the little kids, especially from my hometown,” Cobbins said with a smile.
Cobbins understands the small-town life, and how such a simple gesture can make a huge difference. Talent aside, this is an A+ young man.
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Published on Mar. 4, 2026
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Vanderbilt basketball guard Frankie Collins is leaving the program, head coach Mark Byington announced on Tuesday night. The news comes just days before the Commodores are set to face off against Tennessee in the regular season finale, with the Volunteers looking to clinch a top-four seed and double-bye in the SEC Tournament.
Why it matters
Collins was Vanderbilt’s most highly touted transfer last offseason, but injuries limited him to just nine games this season. His departure leaves the Commodores shorthanded heading into a crucial matchup against their in-state rival Tennessee, who are seeking to complete a regular season sweep.
The details
The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 7.8 points, 4.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game this season, but suffered a meniscus injury in December that sidelined him for the majority of the year. With the emergence of sophomore point guard Tyler Tanner and Oklahoma transfer Duke Miles, Collins never quite found his footing in the Vanderbilt lineup.
- Frankie Collins left the Vanderbilt program on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
- Vanderbilt is scheduled to face Tennessee on Saturday, March 8, 2026.
The players
Frankie Collins
A 6-foot-1 guard who was Vanderbilt’s most highly touted transfer last offseason, coming to Nashville after spending the 2024-25 season at TCU and the three prior years at Arizona State and Michigan.
Mark Byington
The head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores basketball team.
Tyler Tanner
The sophomore point guard who emerged as a key player for Vanderbilt this season.
Duke Miles
An Oklahoma transfer shooting guard who joined the Vanderbilt roster this season.
Rick Barnes
The head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team.
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What they’re saying
“Frankie has left Nashville, and he’s not gonna be on the team. It’s gonna be good for both sides of it. We wish him well. So we’ll roll with the guys we got.”
— Mark Byington, Head Coach, Vanderbilt Commodores (rockytopinsider.com)
What’s next
With a victory over Vanderbilt, Tennessee will clinch a top four-seed and a double-bye in next week’s SEC Tournament. Vanderbilt could potentially earn a double-bye themselves with a win and a little extra help.
The takeaway
The loss of Frankie Collins leaves Vanderbilt shorthanded heading into a crucial matchup against in-state rival Tennessee, who are seeking to complete a regular season sweep. The Commodores will have to rely on the emergence of players like Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles to try and pull off the upset and keep their own postseason hopes alive.
Published on Mar. 3, 2026
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According to ESPN’s latest NFL mock draft, three former Tennessee Volunteers players are projected to be selected in the top 60 picks of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood are both projected to be first-round picks, while wide receiver Chris Brazzell II is projected to be a second-round selection.
Why it matters
The strong NFL Draft projections for Tennessee players highlight the continued talent development and success of the Volunteers football program under head coach Josh Heupel. If these projections hold true, it would mark the first time Tennessee has had two first-round picks and three players selected in the top 60 overall during Heupel’s tenure.
The details
Cornerback Jermod McCoy is projected to be selected 29th overall by the Los Angeles Rams, despite not participating in on-field workouts at the NFL Combine due to a previous ACL injury. Teammate Colton Hood is projected to be the final pick of the first round, going 32nd overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Wide receiver Chris Brazzell II impressed at the Combine with a 4.37 40-yard dash and is projected to be a second-round pick, going 60th overall to the Buffalo Bills.
- The NFL Combine was held in late February 2026.
- Tennessee’s Pro Day workouts are scheduled for the end of March 2026.
- The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in April-May 2026.
The players
Jermod McCoy
A cornerback for the Tennessee Volunteers who is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, despite missing the 2025 season due to an ACL injury.
Colton Hood
A cornerback for the Tennessee Volunteers who is projected to be a first-round pick, going 32nd overall to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Chris Brazzell II
A wide receiver for the Tennessee Volunteers who impressed at the NFL Combine with a 4.37 40-yard dash and is projected to be a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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What they’re saying
“If we’re going strictly by talent, McCoy is a top-10 prospect in this class. But he hasn’t played a game since 2024, missing all of last season after suffering an ACL tear in January 2025. We’re still not sure where he’s at in his recovery, as he did not participate in testing or drills at the combine. This gives the Rams — who haven’t drafted a corner in the first round since 2006 or before Day 3 since 2019 — the potential to get a steal here. McCoy is an easy mover who has squeaky-clean technique.”
— Jordan Reid, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)
“The reigning champions have a clear need at corner, as Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen are both scheduled to be free agents. Hood is a scheme-versatile player who can thrive in press man while also having the fluidity to excel in zone. A former all-state center fielder in high school, Hood’s ball skills frequently show up on tape (10 pass breakups and an interception last season). With his poised technique and wrap-up-and-finish tackling, he would fit well on the outside of Mike Macdonald’s secondary.”
— Jordan Reid, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)
“The Bills need someone who can separate on the outside, and Brazzell is an ‘X’ receiver who can be a deep vertical threat. He can also sink his weight and run a true route tree, making him a good fit with quarterback Josh Allen.”
— Jordan Reid, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)
What’s next
Tennessee’s Pro Day workouts are scheduled for the end of March 2026, where McCoy plans to participate in on-field drills to further showcase his recovery from the ACL injury. Strong performances at the Pro Day could potentially push McCoy back up draft boards into the top half of the first round.
The takeaway
The strong NFL Draft projections for Tennessee players demonstrate the continued talent development and success of the Volunteers football program under head coach Josh Heupel. If these projections hold true, it would mark a significant milestone for the program, with Tennessee potentially having two first-round picks and three players selected in the top 60 overall for the first time during Heupel’s tenure.
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