Overview
- No. 23 Tennessee (6-3) welcomes New Mexico State (3-6) to Neyland Stadium on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
- Quarterback Joey Aguilar sits at 2,737 passing yards and needs 263 to join the program’s 3,000-yard single-season club, with reports suggesting he could exit early if a large lead develops.
- The Volunteers lead the nation at 504.1 yards per game and rank third in scoring at 43.6 points, with DeSean Bishop pacing the run game at 690 yards and nine touchdowns.
- Defense remains the concern for Tennessee, which ranks 98th in total defense and 126th in red-zone defense, giving a New Mexico State offense with top-50 red-zone efficiency a potential opening despite modest yardage.
- Tennessee is paying New Mexico State $1.6 million for the matchup, part of $3.8 million in nonconference spending this season, as coaches are expected to evaluate depth behind Aguilar.