Tennessee

VolReport – Tennessee vs. Mississippi State: Game information, lineups, notes

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2024

VolReport – Tennessee vs. Mississippi State: Game information, lineups, notes

Tennessee passed its first test in SEC play with a resounding 90-64 win over Ole Miss last Saturday.

Now the No. 5 Vols (11-3, 1-0 SEC) take their seven-game win streak into Starkville on Wednesday to face a Mississippi State (11-3, 0-1) team that could present them with their toughest test to date.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

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Both teams pride themselves on a physical style of play predicated on a suffocating defense. Tennessee showed as much against the Rebels in its most recent outing, dominating the boards, 47-24.

The Vols arguably looked the most complete that they have looked this season on both ends of the floor as forward Jonas Aidoo turned in a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds and guard Zakai Zeigler continues to look back to full health, but that will be challenged vs. the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State lost its conference opener, 68-62 to South Carolina and lost the advantage on the glass in an uncharacteristic performance, but with a key piece back from injury in forward Tolu Smith III for the third-straight game, Tennessee will likely have to match it blow-for-blow inside.

Here is a closer look at the match up.

Game Information

Who: No. 5 Tennessee (11-3, 1-0) at Mississippi State (11-3, 0-1)

When: Wednesday, Jan. 10 | 7 p.m. ET

Where: Humphrey Coliseum | Starkville, Mississippi

TV: SEC Network (Mike Morgan, play-by-play; Mark Wise, analyst)

KenPom: Tennessee 71, Mississippi State 68

Series: Tennessee leads, 90-44

Projected Lineups

Numbers Edge

POINTS PER GAME:

Tennessee 78.7, Mississippi State 75.2

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE:

Mississippi State 45.1%, Tennessee 43.8%

THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE:

Tennessee 34.1%, Mississippi State 31.5%

ASSISTS

Tennessee 17.4, Mississippi State 15.2

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Mississippi State presents Vols with ‘biggest challenge’ to date

REBOUNDS:

Tennessee 39.7, Mississippi State 39.4

BLOCKS:

Tennessee 4.8, Mississippi State 3.9

STEALS:

Mississippi State 8.8, Tennessee 7.6

Pregame Notes

— Tennessee’s 90-64 rout of Ole Miss was the Vols’ largest margin of victory over a ranked team in more than a decade since beating Kentucky by 30-points in 2013. Tennessee led the Rebels by 20-plus points for final 14 minutes, 56 seconds of the game.

— Jonas Aidoo and Zakai Zeigler became the first Vols players to record two different double-doubles in the same game since 2019. Zeigler’s 17 points and 10 assists marked the sixth points/assists double-double of his career, a program record.

— Tennessee has won five-straight games against Mississippi State. The Vols swept the Bulldogs in two regular season meetings last season, including a 70-59 victory in their last game at Humphrey Coliseum on Jan. 17, 2023.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Vols guard Zakai Zeigler is ‘back’ and showing no more signs of rust

— Tennessee is going on the road for just the third time this season. The Vols are 1-1 in true road games with a 80-70 win at Wisconsin on Nov. 10 and a 100-92 loss at North Carolina on Nov. 28.

— Mississippi State forward Tolu Smith III, who was named Preseason All-SEC, missed the Bulldogs first 12 games with an injury but has returned to the lineup for their last two games. He is averaging 14.5 points per game in that stretch.

— Mississippi State ranks first in the SEC in three-point percentage defense, allowing just 27.0% and scoring defense at 63.1 points. The Bulldogs are second in field goal percentage defense at 38.8%.

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Tennessee

Tracking Music City Bowl opt outs for Tennessee and Illinois

Published

6 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Tracking the opt outs for both Tennessee and Illinois before the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:

Tennessee

Linebacker Arion Carter: Carter over the last seasons had 96 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 31 career games. He had a team-high 76 tackles this season, with 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while appearing in 10 games. He missed two games and was limited against Oklahoma in November while dealing with turf toe injuries. Carter had 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last season and 17 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in eight games as a freshman in 2023.

Wide Receiver Chris Brazzell II: He a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.

Cornerback Jermod McCoy: Did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.

Illinois

Offensive Tackle J.C. Davis: Bret Bielema said the Illinois starting left tackle is opting out of the Music City Bowl. He was an All-Big Ten First Team pick by the league coaches this season and the No. 3 left tackle this season according to Pro Football Focus grades. He had made 49 straight starts before opting out of the bowl game.

EDGE Gabe Jacas: The Illinois outside linebacker declared for the NFL Draft on Friday night. He led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice. Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois.

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Tennessee

More than 8,500 layoffs hit Tennessee in 2025, nearly 19% increase from 2024

Published

18 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

More than 8,500 layoffs hit Tennessee in 2025, nearly 19% increase from 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee employers laid off more than 8,500 workers in 2025 compared to 7,320 last year, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

This is about a 19% increase in layoffs, with WARN notices impacting 8,691 Tennesseans to date. As of 2023, 5,168 Tennessee workers were laid off through WARN notices.

Counties in Middle Tennessee impacted include:

Davidson
Sumner
Maury
Rutherford
Williamson
Wilson
Coffee
DeKalb
Bedford
Lawrence
Putnam

The largest layoff this year was in Maury County. Come January, 710 employees will be laid off from GM Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility. Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Michael Kofoed tells FOX 17 News that the facility is is likely impacted by the rise on steel tariffs ruled out by the Trump administration. He adds steel tariffs raise input costs for employers which directly impacts employees’ salary or employment.

The second largest layoff impacted 658 workers at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC in Rutherford County with 615 workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center permanently laid off. WARN notices are reports a company is required to file with the state to give workers time to find future employment.

Kofoed states that Tennessee is seeing a troubling trend, with layoffs skyrocketing since 2023.

“That is a very big and concerning number,” Kofoed said.

According to CNBC, more than 1.1 million U.S. employees were laid off this year, the highest 11-month total since 2020.

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Tennessee

Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is asking for donations after rescuing 11 animals Friday.

ARC said it was contacted by law enforcement in an unidentified rural Tennessee area to rescue five dogs and six cats in what the nonprofit is calling “Operation Cold Snap.”

In the rescue, the nonprofit took in two emaciated Great Danes, three Pit Bulls and six cats. ARC said some of the animals are emaciated and suffering from untreated bite wounds and infections.

The nonprofit said the animals were kept without heat or regular care.

ARC shared a video of the rescue. In it, you can see the property s in disarray with trash littering the floor and overturned furniture.

This rescue comes just days before Middle Tennessee is expected to see its coldest temperatures of the season.

Now, ARC is asking for donations to help the 11 animals rescued Operation Cold Snap. Those interested in donating can do so on the nonprofit’s website.

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