Tennessee

Titans report card: How we graded Tennessee in Week 13 loss to Jaguars

Published

4 months ago

December 1, 2025

Titans report card: How we graded Tennessee in Week 13 loss to Jaguars

The Tennessee Titans (1-11) took a massive step backward in their Week 13 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, looking more like the undisciplined, unprepared team from earlier in the season than the unit that put up a fight against the Seattle Seahawks a week ago.

Tennessee struggled to get anything going, and between penalties, poor offensive line play, and allowing too many explosive plays, they had no chance against a Jaguars team that came to play and left with a share of the AFC South division lead.

The Titans will regroup and prepare for a trip to Cleveland to face Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns.

Before we move on, here’s a quick report card from Sunday’s action.

Offense

Cam Ward was not sharp, and he got little help from his perimeter receiving corps, who could not gain separation throughout the afternoon and had too many drops. Couple that with a dismal performance on third downs, and the unit got nothing going after the initial drive of the game.

The offense started with one of its best drives of the season, mixing run and pass, but after that, the issues that had plagued them early in the season came rushing back, and the unit looked completely overmatched by the Jaguars’ defense. It was a rough outing and a definite step back.

Grade: D

Defense

The defense was better than it was against the Seahawks, but the lack of cornerback depth without Jalyn Armour-Davis was noticeable. The unit is already thin and struggles to match up with the Jaguars’ receiving corps. When you couple the secondary struggles with an invisible pass rush, it makes for a long afternoon.

While they were better this week, the defense still gave up too many big plays, got almost zero help from the offense (or special teams), and wore down.

Grade: C

Special teams

The special teams were anything but special. Between turnovers and crushing penalties, they were unable to capitalize on some opportunities and, for the most part, had a rough day.

Chimere Dike did rip off another big return and made some other plays that made an impact, but his first-quarter fumble on a kickoff return changed the momentum of the game, and the Titans never recovered. Joey Slye made his only attempt for the Titans’ only points, but that was nowhere near enough.

Grade: C

Coaching

Yes, Tennessee entered the game with some injuries and roster questions, but after the first series, it appeared completely unprepared to take the field on Sunday. In a game that turned into a flagfest with 23 combined penalties, the Titans’ lack of discipline again came to light, and they got the worst end of the penalty stick with 13, including multiple that gave the Jaguars new life.

Tennessee has shown some improvement in recent weeks, but that was far from the case this week, with the team looking more like the Brian Callahan-led unit than those that took the field against the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks.

Grade: D

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Tennessee

Joshua Jefferson injury update, Iowa State star questionable vs Tennessee basketball

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Joshua Jefferson injury update, Iowa State star questionable vs Tennessee basketball

CHICAGO − Iowa State’s star forward Joshua Jefferson is questionable against Tennessee basketball according to the NCAA player availability report released at 6:32 p.m.

The No. 6 Vols (24-11) and No. 2 Cyclones (29-7) play in the Men’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 at the United Center on March 27 (10:10 p.m. ET, TBS).

Jefferson sprained his ankle in the opening minutes of Iowa State’s first-round game against Tennessee State. He sat for the remainder of the game and missed the Cyclones’ win over Kentucky on March 22. Iowa State didn’t need the All-Big 12 forward as it generated 20 Wildcat turnovers in its 19-point victory.

Senior Nate Heise started in place of the 6-foot-9 Jefferson. He had 12 points against Kentucky, but senior Tamin Lipsey stepped up with a season-high 26 points and 10 assists.

Jefferson averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals and shot 47.1% from the field.

Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com

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What channel is Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee on today? Time, TV schedule to watch game

Published

16 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

What channel is Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee on today? Time, TV schedule to watch game

Vanderbilt baseball is back home in SEC play against Tennessee, beginning on March 27 at Hawkins Field.

The Commodores (14-12, 2-4 SEC) were swept at Mississippi State last weekend to fall below .500 early in league play.

Tennessee (18-7, 3-3) lost the Friday opener to Missouri last weekend, then rebounded with two wins to take the series.

Here’s how you can watch Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee:

Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee on March 27 will be televised on SEC Network.

Game 1 start time: 7 p.m on March 27, ESPNU
Game 2 start time: 1 p.m. on March 28, SEC Network
Game 3 start time: 11 a.m on March 29, ESPN2

Feb. 13: vs. TCU in Arlington, Texas, L 5-4
Feb. 14: vs. Texas Tech in Arlington, Texas, W 13-3 (8 innings)
Feb. 15: vs. Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas, L 11-1 (8 innings)
Feb. 17: Eastern Michigan, W 13-2 (7 innings)
Feb. 18: Eastern Michigan, W 16-2 (8 innings)
Feb. 20: Marist, W 16-5 (8 innings)
Feb. 21: Marist, W 12-1 (7 innings)
Feb. 22: Marist, W 8-1
Feb. 24: Evansville, W 15-3 (7 innings)
Feb. 27: vs. UC Irvine in Las Vegas, L 9-4
Feb. 28: vs. Arizona State in Las Vegas, L 5-1
March 1: vs. Oregon in Las Vegas, L 6-4
March 3: Central Arkansas, L 5-4
March 4: Troy, W 4-1
March 6: North Dakota State, W 14-2 (7 innings)
March 7: North Dakota State, W 10-0 (8 innings)
March 8: North Dakota State, L 5-2
March 10: Indiana State, W 14-6
March 13: LSU, W 13-12
March 14: LSU, W 11-3
March 15: LSU, L 16-9
March 17: Indiana, L 5-1
March 20: at Mississippi State, L 4-2
March 21: at Mississippi State, L 7-2
March 22: at Mississippi State, L 17-7 (7)
March 24: Tennessee Tech, W 15-5 (8)
March 27: Tennessee, 7 p.m on ESPNU
March 28: Tennessee, 1 p.m on SEC Network
March 29: Tennessee, 11 a.m on ESPN2
March 31: Belmont
April 2-4: at Texas A&M
April 7: EKU
April 9-11: Oklahoma
April 14: Lipscomb
April 17-19: Kentucky
April 21: Xavier
April 24-26: Texas
April 28: MTSU
April 30-May 2: at Alabama
May 5: Louisville
May 8-10: at Missouri
May 14-16: South Carolina

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Tennessee basketball legend Chris Lofton enjoying unexpected Vol Network role | Estes

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee basketball legend Chris Lofton enjoying unexpected Vol Network role | Estes

CHICAGO – As Tennessee basketball’s newest Sweet 16 team was on the court at the United Center, prepping for Iowa State, the best pure shooter in the building sat on the side in a hoodie.

Chris Lofton, as always, was looking for his shot.

“I’m ready to shoot now, you know?” he said with a laugh. “When they start stretching, I’ll get a shot up or two for sure. I tell Mike (Keith) all the time, ‘If we go to the gym and there’s a basketball, I have to shoot it.’ That’s just a rule. I’ve got to shoot at least once.”

Though his last professional basketball game was in 2019, Lofton still gets on the court occasionally, and when he does, he can still shoot it.

Tennessee star freshman Nate Ament can confirm. He’s seen it.

“Really good,” Ament said of Lofton. “Even now.”

He’s a radio guy now, though.

Lofton is finishing a season back in Knoxville as part of the newly built Vol Network crew for men’s basketball games. He has been working with new play-by-play man Mike Keith, the former voice of the Tennessee Titans, among those tasked with replacing longtime Vols duo of Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp.

“Mike has been great,” Lofton said, “teaching me a lot. I’m learning so much. It’s been fun just to be back around Tennessee basketball as much as I’ve been this year. I’m VFL. I bleed orange. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

In a game of horse, I’d still take Lofton against anyone. Vols fans old enough to remember watching him play for Tennessee (2004-08), I’d imagine many of y’all would, too.

This guy is a myth, a Tennessee legend. Unforgettable because of magical moments during games as “the best bad-shot-maker I’ve ever coached,” said former Vols coach Bruce Pearl, and because of his inspirational personal story. The circumstances of Lofton’s final UT season, during which he played through a secret cancer diagnosis, comprised a recent ESPN documentary.

The old heads know. And I’ve got something to make those old heads feel a bit older:

Lofton is about to turn 40.

The last day of his 30s, in fact, was practice day at the United Center on the eve of 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament regional games there. He’ll celebrate while working. Lofton’s 40^th birthday will be March 27, same day that Tennessee faces Iowa State in the Sweet 16.

“I’m telling you,” Lofton said, “it goes by fast.”

The opportunity “came out of nowhere,” said Lofton. He’d been through the NBA’s coaching program a couple of years ago, and he was close to landing a scouting job with the Boston Celtics last year.

Lofton hadn’t envisioned a detour through media until he got the call in October – and he recoiled initially. “I’ll get back to you,” Lofton told them at the time, all the while thinking, “Talking on the radio? That’s not me.”

But Lofton thought more about it, figuring “Why not? What else do I have to do?” Since then, Lofton has thrown himself into the role.

“Just like he was as a basketball player,” Keith said, “he wants to be good at it.”

This season’s Vol Network hoops team included Keith, Lofton, former UT player Steve Hamer and John Wilkerson, the play-by-play man for Vols baseball.

Since baseball season started for Wilkerson, Lofton has consistently been a part of Tennessee’s broadcasts despite jumping in short-notice to a new career path with no previous experience.

“What Chris has done has been amazing,” Keith said. “Nothing short of amazing, considering his background in (radio) – which was non-existent – his sort of knowledge of how it works and his interest in it before he was contacted in October. …

“If you listen to him from a broadcast in November or December to now, it’s a totally different guy.”

Keith added that “it’s going to be off the charts” for Lofton in Year 2, given how much he has improved.

All Lofton has decided for his post-playing future is that wants to stay in basketball. He hasn’t ruled out a career in coaching or scouting.

But he does love what he’s doing now, he said.

“I open to whatever, honestly,” Lofton said. “I love what I do now. I would love to be more involved on the court, for sure, but it might just be here (on radio).”

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social

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