KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt fell 48-24 to No. 25 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium on Saturday to close out the 2023 season.
The Commodores (2-10, 0-8 SEC) and Volunteers (8-4, 4-4 SEC) were tied at 7-7 early before the home team pulled away by outscoring the visitors 31-3 over the second and third quarters.
After Tennessee scored on the opening drive of the game, Vanderbilt quickly countered with a scoring drive of its own, finding the end zone on a 19-yard pass from AJ Swann to Junior Sherrill.
Tennessee’s Joe Milton threw his second of four passing touchdowns with a little over three minutes remaining in the first quarter and added his third to open the second quarter, putting Tennessee in front 21-7.
Vanderbilt’s Jacob Borcila connected on a 40-yard field goal with 8:29 remaining in the first half, cutting the Volunteers’ lead to 21-10.
Tennessee scored 10 more points in the second quarter, taking a 31-10 advantage into halftime.
Tennessee maintained its momentum in the second half with two more touchdowns by Milton, one through the air and one on the ground, to lead Vanderbilt, 45-10, at the end of the third quarter.
After Langston Patterson recovered a muffed punt in the opening minutes of the final period, Ken Seals scored a one-yard rushing touchdown to make it 45-17. With Patterson’s first career fumble recovery, Vanderbilt has recorded a takeaway in every game this season.
The Commodores put together a nine-play, 77-yard scoring drive to add seven on a five-yard passing touchdown from Seals to Quincy Skinner Jr., with 5:38 to go in the game.
Tennessee added a field goal with 28 seconds left to win 48-24.
Vanderbilt finished with 306 yards on offense with 228 of those coming through the air. The Patterson brothers, Langston and Kane, finished with eight tackles each to lead the Commodore defense.
