Vanderbilt wasted no time putting Tennessee on the ropes.
In a pivotal regular-season finale for the Volunteers, Vanderbilt sophomore wide receiver Junior Sherrill returned the opening kick 100 yards for a touchdown to give the Commodores a 7-0 lead.
Per the ABC broadcast, it was Vanderbilt’s first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2021.
College Football Playoff No. 8 Tennessee (9-2, 5-2 SEC) likely controls its destiny for a berth in the 12-team CFP field.
Early, the pressure appears to be getting to the Vols.
Running back Dylan Sampson fumbled on Tennessee’s first offensive possession, giving Vandy the ball at Tennessee’s 26-yard line.
The Commodores scored a touchdown seven plays later on a four-yard run from sophomore running back Sedrick Alexander to extend their lead to 14-0. The Vols eventually responded with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Nico Iamaleava to Dont’e Thornton, making it a 14-7 game.
A Tennessee loss would open the door for fringe playoff candidates, including No. 12 Clemson (9-2, 7-1 ACC), No. 13 Alabama (8-3, 4-3 SEC), No. 14 Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3 SEC) and No. 15 South Carolina (8-3, 5-3 SEC) to surpass it in Tuesday’s rankings.
While plenty of time remains, the final week of the 2024 college football regular season already looks like it could pack some unexpected punches.
