On a crisp October evening in Knoxville, the University of Tennessee Volunteers delivered a thrilling performance in front of a raucous, sold-out Neyland Stadium crowd, edging out the Arkansas Razorbacks 34-31 in a contest loaded with storylines, milestones, and a touch of history. With 101,915 fans packing the stands for the 24th consecutive sellout, the energy was palpable from kickoff to the final whistle, as both teams battled not just for a win, but for momentum in a pivotal SEC stretch.
Saturday’s matchup marked the 21st all-time meeting between these programs and the first in Knoxville since 2015. For Tennessee, the stakes included snapping a four-game losing streak to Arkansas—a skid that stretched back to 2007—and continuing their impressive home form under head coach Josh Heupel. For Arkansas, it was the dawn of a new era, as interim coach Bobby Petrino returned to lead the Razorbacks for the first time since 2011, following Sam Pittman’s recent dismissal.
From the opening series, it was clear this wouldn’t be a typical SEC blowout. Arkansas, determined to set the tone, converted a gutsy fourth-and-1 from their own 34-yard line on the opening drive. Quarterback Taylen Green capped the march with an 11-yard touchdown run, putting the Razorbacks up 7-0 and sending a clear message: Petrino’s squad came to play aggressively. “We went into the game saying, 'Hey, man, we're going to be real aggressive. We're going to have to go score points,’” Petrino explained postgame. “And it worked on the fourth-and-1. That's where I felt like, 'Oh my gosh, am I really doing this? Going for it on fourth-and-1?’”
But Tennessee wasted no time responding. In typical Heupel fashion—his teams have scored in 2:31 or fewer on every opening drive this season—the Volunteers answered with a 7-play, 75-yard drive capped by DeSean Bishop’s 17-yard scamper into the endzone. Bishop, who would go on to have a career night, finished with 146 rushing yards on just 14 carries, marking his second 100-plus yard game as a Volunteer. His explosive performance placed him in rare company, becoming the fourth Tennessee running back in the past 19 seasons to eclipse 140 yards and average over 10 yards per carry in a single game.
The first half unfolded as a seesaw battle, with both teams trading blows. Arkansas’ Scott Starzyk nailed a 28-yard field goal late in the first quarter, only for Tennessee’s Max Gilbert to answer with a 37-yarder early in the second. The Razorbacks surged ahead 17-10 on Mike Washington’s 1-yard touchdown run, but Tennessee’s offense—buoyed by redshirt freshman Braylon Staley’s breakout performance—struck back quickly. Staley, who finished with a career-high 109 receiving yards on six catches, was a constant threat in the first half, hauling in five passes for 105 yards before halftime. Senior tight end Miles Kitselman capped a rapid five-play, 75-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown grab from quarterback Joey Aguilar, knotting the score at 17 apiece as the teams headed to the locker room.
With the game tied, the second half became a showcase for Tennessee’s resilience and opportunistic defense. The Vols forced four fumbles—recovering three, the most in a single game under Heupel and defensive coordinator Tim Banks—and racked up five sacks, increasing their season total to 26. Sophomore defensive lineman Jordan Ross delivered a pivotal strip sack and fumble recovery in the first quarter, setting the tone for a relentless defensive effort. “The speed of their defense and the collisions and the physicality of the game caused a couple of those fumbles,” Petrino admitted. “You’ve got to give them credit, too, because they ran fast to the football.”
It was a tale of turnovers and missed opportunities for Arkansas. After Tennessee took its first lead, 20-17, on Gilbert’s booming 50-yard field goal early in the third, the Razorbacks mounted a promising drive deep into Volunteer territory. But disaster struck when running back Braylen Russell coughed up the ball at the Tennessee 29-yard line, with linebacker Arion Carter pouncing on the fumble. Arkansas’ woes continued as they failed on a crucial fourth-and-5 from the Vols’ 25, bypassing a field goal that could have tied the game—an aggressive call Petrino would later second-guess. “Sometimes you pick the wrong side, and on that one we did,” he said.
Tennessee capitalized on Arkansas’ mistakes, stringing together 24 unanswered points over a 26-minute stretch that spanned from late in the second quarter into the fourth. Peyton Lewis, who took over the rushing duties after Bishop was sidelined with an injury in the third quarter, powered his way to two second-half touchdowns—a 2-yard run late in the third and a 3-yard plunge early in the fourth—pushing the Volunteers ahead 34-17. “You don't know when your time is coming,” Heupel said. “Peyton came through down the stretch.”
While the Vols appeared to have the game in hand, Arkansas refused to fold. Green, who finished with 256 passing yards, two touchdowns through the air, and 63 on the ground, led a late rally. He connected with Rohan Jones for a 9-yard score and Kam Shanks for a 12-yard touchdown, trimming the deficit to 34-31 with just under three minutes left. But the Razorbacks never got another possession, as Tennessee’s offense calmly ran out the clock to seal the win.
Joey Aguilar, Tennessee’s steady senior quarterback, delivered another strong outing, completing 16-of-25 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown, and adding 59 rushing yards on five carries. His ability to avoid turnovers—Aguilar has thrown for over 200 yards in all 30 FBS starts of his career—proved pivotal in a game where every possession mattered. The Vols’ offensive line also deserves a tip of the cap, not surrendering a single sack against an Arkansas defense desperate to turn the tide.
Saturday’s victory was more than just another notch in the win column for Tennessee. It marked Heupel’s 70th career victory as a head coach, and improved his record at Tennessee to 42-16 since taking over in 2021. The Vols are now 28-5 in Neyland Stadium under Heupel, with 23 wins in their last 25 home games—a mark matched only by Alabama in the SEC during that span. Tennessee’s all-time on-field record now stands at a remarkable 891-418-53, and their home dominance in October continues, with seven straight wins in the month dating back to 2022.
The game also served as the centerpiece of Champions Weekend, with former SEC and NCAA championship teams returning to Rocky Top to celebrate the program’s storied past. Fittingly, Tennessee announced plans for Championship Corner, a new tribute to its championship tradition, set to open in 2026 on the southwest end of Neyland Stadium.
As the Volunteers look ahead to the remainder of their SEC schedule, their blend of explosive offense, opportunistic defense, and home-field advantage makes them a force to be reckoned with. For Arkansas, the Petrino era’s second act is just beginning, and while Saturday ended in disappointment, the Razorbacks showed flashes of fight that could serve them well as they regroup for the challenges ahead.
