Jarrett Guarantano – Noteworthy
In the sixth game of Jeremy Pruitt’s tenure as Tennessee coach, the Volunteers have a victory that shows a clear sign of progress. Jarrett Guarantano passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns and Tennessee snapped an 11-game SEC losing streak with a 30-24 victory against No. 21 Auburn on Saturday. The Volunteers (3-3, 1-2) forced three turnovers from Auburn’s lackluster offense, intercepting Jarrett Stidham twice and getting a strip sack that resulted in touchdown by Alontae Taylor.
Tennessee rallied in the second half to beat Auburn for the first time since 1999, breaking a six-game skid and defeated an Southeastern Conference West Division team for the first time since 2010 against Mississippi, a streak of 15 losses. “We’re used to being down, as you guys know,” Guarantano said. “So we weren’t focused on the scoreboard at all. That’s one of the things that Coach was saying pregame, don’t worry about the scoreboard, let’s be the most physical team out there and let’s just go play ball.” The Tigers (4-3, 1-3) are off to their worst SEC start since also going 1-3 in 2015. – AP College Football
Jonathan Kongbo – Noteworthy
Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt says outside linebacker Jonathan Kongbo has a torn anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the remainder of the season. Pruitt said Sunday on “The Nation” radio show that Kongbo tore his ACL on Saturday during the Volunteers’ 30-24 victory at Auburn , which was ranked 21st at the time. Auburn fell out of the Top 25 after the loss. Pruitt said Kongbo would have surgery “in a couple of days.” Kongbo intercepted a pass during Tennessee’s upset of Auburn, which snapped the Volunteers’ 11-game losing streak in Southeastern Conference games. The fifth-year senior had started five of Tennessee’s first six games this season and had 11 tackles. Tennessee (3-3, 1-2 SEC) hosts No. 1 Alabama (7-0, 4-0) on Saturday. – AP College Football