Loss to Georgia Will Sting
Tennessee and Georgia delivered an instant classic last Saturday in their SEC opener, but for the Big Orange faithful, it ended in heartbreak. Despite a dream first quarter and a late lead, No. 15 Tennessee fell to No. 6 Georgia 44-41 in overtime at Neyland Stadium.
If you were scripting a start for Tennessee’s SEC opener, you couldn’t have drawn it up any better. Joey Aguilar was electric, completing his first 14 passes for 213 yards as Tennessee scored touchdowns on all three opening drives. Chris Brazzell II picked up right where he left off last week, hauling in two first-quarter touchdowns en route to a career-high day. The Vols rolled up 224 yards in just 15 minutes and led 21-7 after one quarter. Aguilar, making his first SEC start, finished with 371 yards and four touchdowns, giving Vol fans plenty of hope for the future of the offense. Brazzell appeared to put on a Jalin Hyatt-Bama 2022-type performance, totaling 177 yards and three scores, already surpassing his production from all of last season.
But as hot as Tennessee was early, the second quarter brought a complete reversal. The Vols managed only 35 yards on 13 snaps, went 0-for-3 on third downs, and Aguilar threw his lone interception. Georgia seized the momentum, scoring 17 unanswered points to take a 24-21 lead in the third quarter. Tennessee’s defense had its moments as Dominic Bailey and Bryson Eason combined for 11 tackles, a sack, and a huge fumble recovery, but fourth downs continued to be a problem. Georgia converted two critical fourth downs, including a 28-yard touchdown strike from Gunner Stockton to London Humphreys on 4th-and-6 late in the fourth quarter. That score, followed by a two-point conversion, tied the game at 38-38.
Tennessee still had its chance. After driving to the Georgia 20-yard line with six seconds left, kicker Max Gilbert had a 43-yard attempt for the win. A false start penalty kept the Vols from centering the ball, and Gilbert pushed it wide right. He redeemed himself with a make in overtime, but Georgia answered with a touchdown to steal the win.
The game was filled with big moments. When Tennessee trailed 27-21 and desperately needed a spark, Brazzell climbed the ladder for a 56-yard score to end the third quarter. Later, Joshua Josephs forced a critical fumble with 6:40 left, and Eason recovered to set up a field goal and an eight-point lead, but three straight runs prevented the Vols from putting the game away with a touchdown. Georgia’s two fourth-down conversions were backbreakers, directly leading to 14 points.
Joey Aguilar was the bright spot of the night, earning the proverbial game ball. He was everything Tennessee needed him to be: poised, accurate, and explosive. His performance should have been enough to win.
The biggest question now is how Tennessee responds. Josh Heupel made it clear postgame that this team must learn from the loss and use the disappointment to fuel them. Depth continues to be a concern, especially at cornerback and defensive tackle. This week’s game against UAB will be crucial for developing young players like Ty Redmond and giving veterans like Bailey and Eason a breather. The Vols are 2-1 with a long season ahead. If Aguilar and Brazzell keep playing at this level and the defense tightens up on key downs, Tennessee can still contend for a shot at the playoffs. Saturday hurt, but there’s still everything to play for.
Titans Crumble Again in Second Half
The Titans’ home opener on Sunday felt like it could be the day the franchise finally turned a corner. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward brought electricity to Nissan Stadium with a highlight-reel first career touchdown pass, a play that looked destined to mark his coming out moment. For a while, the Titans traded punches with the Rams, even taking a halftime lead. But once again, the second half told a different story, as Los Angeles took control and handed Tennessee a 33-19 loss, dropping them to 0-2.
Ward showed plenty of promise and reminded everyone why he was the first overall pick. He completed 19-of-33 passes for 175 yards and that touchdown, a dazzling nine-yard strike to fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor, who made a one-handed grab earlier in the drive to keep the possession alive. Ward rolled right, threw across his body, and found Ayomanor streaking back across the field for the score. Nissan Stadium erupted, and for a moment, it felt like the start of something special. Ayomanor does continue to impress as one of the few bright spots for this Titans team.
But for all the excitement Ward created, the Titans once again let a winnable game slip away. After taking a 13-10 halftime lead, Tennessee extended it briefly to 16-13 on Joey Slye’s third field goal of the day. From there, the Rams imposed their will. Matthew Stafford led a lightning-fast touchdown drive to reclaim the lead late in the third quarter, and Ward’s costly fumble early in the fourth set up another Rams touchdown to make it 27-16. By the time Blake Corum punched in a one-yard score with under seven minutes to go, the game felt out of reach.
The Titans had plenty of chances to win this game but kept sabotaging themselves. Ward was sacked five times, the offense stalled in key moments, and penalties once again proved costly. A 57-yard punt return touchdown by Chimere Dike that could have blown the game open was wiped out by an illegal blindside block. Tennessee finished with 10 penalties for 62 yards, a week after being flagged 13 times in Denver. Through two weeks, the Titans have racked up 21 penalties for 142 yards. This team simply isn’t good enough to overcome that level of self-inflicted damage.
Defensively, Tennessee looked overmatched against Stafford and a talented Rams offense. Los Angeles rolled up 439 total yards and four touchdowns. Cody Barton’s first-half interception was a bright spot, and the defense did hold the Rams to field goals in two goal-to-go situations, but there weren’t enough big plays to turn the tide. Tennessee sacked Stafford just once and struggled to get off the field when it mattered most.
The Titans are 0-2, and while both losses came against good football teams, they are both games the Titans could have won. Ward has shown flashes of being the franchise quarterback Tennessee hoped for, Pollard ran hard, and Slye remains perfect on the season. But until this team cleans up the penalties, protects its rookie quarterback, and finds a way to finish games, those positives will keep getting lost in the frustration.
Next week’s matchup against the Colts is massive. Division games matter, and at 0-2 the margin for error is shrinking. As Jeffery Simmons said after the game, the mindset has to be simple: go 1-0 this week. Nissan Stadium is still waiting for a true breakthrough moment, and the Titans have to deliver one soon.