Auburn
Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (10/01/2026) — DeSean Bishop scored three touchdowns, and the Tennessee Volunteers beat the Auburn Tigers 24-14 on Thursday night at Neyland Stadium. Auburn gained more yards than Tennessee, but the Volunteers won the turnover battle and kept the ball longer in front of a crowd of 101,915.
The Southeastern Conference win came even though Tennessee was outgained 345-323. The Volunteers relied on their ground game and took advantage of Auburn's mistakes, which made the yardage gap irrelevant.
How It Happened
The two teams were close in most categories. Each had 17 first downs. The difference was in how they moved the ball.
Tennessee ran for 237 yards, nearly three-quarters of its offense. The Volunteers threw only 18 passes and completed 11 for 86 yards. Their running game controlled the clock: Tennessee held the ball for 31:37, compared with 28:23 for Auburn.
Auburn's offense was more balanced. The Tigers ran for 186 yards and completed 22 of 33 passes for 159 yards, a 66.7 percent completion rate. They also converted five third downs to Tennessee's three, which kept several drives going. Arlis Boardingham scored a touchdown for Auburn, and Alex McPherson added two points.
Auburn's offense moved the ball, but the Tigers often failed to turn yards into points. Its 345 total yards produced only 14 points, while Tennessee scored 24 on fewer yards.
Turning Point
Turnovers decided the game. Auburn gave the ball away three times and Tennessee twice, and the Volunteers made the most of that edge on a night when the yardage was nearly even.
Both defenses got to the quarterback. Da'Shawn Womack had two sacks for Auburn, and Dejuan Lane had two sacks for Tennessee. Each team's pass rush stopped drives, but Auburn's three giveaways kept it from closing the gap.
In a game decided by 10 points, each lost possession hurt Auburn more. The Tigers moved the ball well enough to stay close, but they could not overcome the turnovers against an opponent that kept scoring.
Star of the Game
DeSean Bishop, Tennessee — Bishop scored three touchdowns, accounting for 18 of Tennessee's 24 points. With Tennessee leaning on its 237-yard rushing attack, Bishop was the player who finished drives in the end zone.
Cooper Ranvier scored the rest of Tennessee's points with six, giving the Volunteers enough of a cushion to hold off Auburn.
Lane's two sacks were the best individual defensive performance for Tennessee. For Auburn, Womack also had two sacks and was a steady presence on a defense that kept the Tigers in the game.
What It Means
For the Tennessee Volunteers, the win shows they can beat an SEC opponent without much of a passing game. Tennessee threw for only 86 yards and still won by 10 because it ran for 237 yards, held the ball for more than 31 minutes and came out ahead in turnovers. That kind of ball-control approach can carry a team through a conference schedule, especially at home in front of more than 100,000 fans.
Tennessee will probably want a more productive passing game against stronger defenses. Converting only three third downs is something the Volunteers will try to improve before their next SEC game.
For the Auburn Tigers, the result is a missed chance. Auburn outgained Tennessee on the road, completed two-thirds of its passes and won the third-down battle, which are usually signs of a winning performance. The three turnovers and missed scoring opportunities made the difference. Auburn has shown it can move the ball against an SEC defense; protecting the football and finishing drives will decide whether that production becomes wins.
Auburn's defense held Tennessee to 323 total yards and 86 passing yards, and Womack's pass rush gives the Tigers something to build on. The Tigers will try to cut down on turnovers as conference play continues.
