No. 7 Tennessee dominated the Mississippi State offense for four quarters, handing the Bulldogs their eighth loss of 2024.
Tennessee struck early in Knoxville on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Nico Iamaleava to Squirrel White to build an early 7-0. It was an advantage the Volunteers would never relinquish.
A second touchdown by the home team was answered by Mississippi State on easily the best drive of the day – a 16 play, 75-yard trek that ended in a 1-yard touchdown run by Davon Booth with just over 5 minutes to go in the 1st half. A third quarter touchdown scamper by Johnnie Daniels cut the late Volunteer lead to 23-14, but it was all Mississippi State would get. The Volunteers added 10 unanswered points to cap off the win without quarterback Iamaleava, who did not play in the second half due to injury.
The prevailing theme on Saturday in Rocky Top was the Bulldogs’ inability to move the football. Tennessee held their opponent to less than 20 points for the tenth straight contest – a streak that dates back to the final game of the 2023 season. Mississippi State was held to just 271 yards of total, 179 of which came on the ground, and turned the ball over twice in the loss.
As those numbers indicate, true freshman quarterback Michael van Buren, Jr. Struggled mightily. The youngster finished 10-of-26 for 92 passing yards and an interception, while he was sacked 4 times for –28 yards.
It’s another eerily similar chapter in a growing book of high effort performances and a lack of talent against some of the best competition in college football. It’s the fourth loss for Mississippi State against a top 20 opponent and third against a top 10 foe. With two more ranked opponents ahead in the final pair of challenges in a long year, it gets no easier for Jeff Lebby’s crew.
The Bulldogs will get a welcome week of rest ahead of those two final games, with the penultimate affair being a home date with No. 24 ranked Missouri on November 23.