Jeff Lebby and Mississippi State found just their second win of the 2024 season last weekend against UMass, and now they have a date with No. 7 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. The Volunteers, currently in the thick of the College Football Playoff battle, have no room for error.
Tennessee did what they’ve done for the past month on Saturday against Kentucky — start painfully slow, lean on defense, then figure it out when it counts. Dylan Sampson and Miles Kitselman each found the endzone in the third quarter to take the lead, which Tennessee wouldn’t give back. The 28-18 win over the now 3-6 Wildcats was hardly impressive, but the Vols did benefit from other contenders like Texas A&M and Iowa State falling.