Tennessee's cracks show in frustrating loss to Oklahoma as hopes for College Football Playoff return fade

Seven months ago, Tennessee's season was turned upside down when star quarterback Nico Iamaleava surprisingly decided to transfer. But during a 33-27 loss to No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday, the No. 14 Volunteers showed that cracks stretched further than the quarterback position. 

Last year, Tennessee rode two units to the College Football Playoff: The legs of Dylan Sampson and a lockdown defense. One year later, both have regressed significantly. The Volunteers mustered only 1.8 yards per carry against the Sooners with only 63 net yards. Because of the struggles, Tennessee rushed only 24 times with running backs compared to 45 pass attempts. 

More concerning, the defense has fallen apart after a few key departures to the NFL. Oklahoma had yet to score 30 points in 13 previous SEC games. That changed against the Volunteers, which allowed 16 points in the first half and 17 in the second. Oklahoma had previously not scored more than 16 points in any other half this season. 

Granted, quarterback Joey Aguilar wasn't perfect in the loss. The former Appalachian State and UCLA signal caller threw for 393 yards and three touchdowns but also notched a pair of interceptions, both of which led to field goals. A strip-sack of Aguilar also turned into a scoop-and-score by R. Mason Thomas, which proved to be the difference. 

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Brad Crawford

Still, Tennessee has found itself dependent on explosive plays created with Aguilar's arm. In the first quarter alone, Aguilar hit on passes of 40 and 37 yards to set up scores. He might have been one of the most turnover-prone quarterbacks in the country last year, but the Volunteers simply need Aguilar's high-variance play. 

The performance echoed some of the same frustrations that rose in painful losses to No. 6 Georgia and No. 6 Alabama. In a 44-41 loss to the Bulldogs, Tennessee jumped out to a big lead but failed to hold serve. Bad breaks and turnovers cost the Vols despite a magical game from receiver Chris Brazzell. 

In the loss to Alabama, Tennessee threw a 99-yard pick six on the final play of the first half to all but put the game out of reach. It turned into a 37-20 laugher after that. While DeSean Bishop cleared 123 yards on 14 carries, the rest of the team went 19 carries for 19 yards. The steadiness was not there.  

Granted, Tennessee was going to face a difficult road trying to replicate its 2024 success after losing 12 starters. The quarterback situation only provided a cherry on top, even if Aguilar has stepped in and played admirably. But instead of moving closer to contention, Tennessee has now fallen all the way out. 

What's next for Tennessee?

At 6-3, there's no realistic pathway for Tennessee to get back into the College Football Playoff mix. Closing the year on the road against Florida and then against No. 9 Vanderbilt will be a tricky moment. The matchup with the Commodores will be one of the biggest in the history of the rivalry, but another loss is possible. 

There's still a bright future ahead. Five-star tackle David Sanders is improving, five-star receiver Mike Matthews has played up to his potential and the Volunteers are set to add three five-stars to the mix next season, including No. 1 overall quarterback Faizon Brandon. The Vols are only scratching the surface of what they can be. 

But after a third painful loss against an SEC foe, Tennessee is suddenly forced to look to the future.