We Speak College Football

Tennessee Slams the Door in the Fourth Quarter to Beat Kentucky 34-6 at Neyland

Published

2 hours ago

November 8, 2026

The Tennessee Rock painted with the words Not This Time after Tennessee beat Kentucky at Neyland Stadium

The Tennessee Rock at Neyland Stadium, painted 'NOT THIS TIME' and 'VOLS WIN' after Tennessee's 34-6 win over Kentucky. Photo via Tennessee Football.

For three quarters, No. 6 Kentucky hung around Neyland Stadium and made No. 13 Tennessee sweat. Then the fourth quarter started, and the Volunteers scored 21 points to turn a tense game into a 34-6 rout that snapped Kentucky’s six game winning streak and scrambled the top of the SEC standings.

DeSean Bishop owned the finish. The Tennessee running back carried 25 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns, both on 5 yard runs in the fourth quarter, pushing his season total to 1,066 rushing yards. Daune Morris gave the Vols their early spark with a 66 yard touchdown run, finishing with 85 yards on just five carries. Tennessee ran for 240 yards as a team and wore Kentucky down snap after snap.

George MacIntyre completed 9 of 14 passes for 125 yards in a controlled passing day, and the final Tennessee touchdown came on a shovel pass from Faizon Brandon to Mike Matthews that went 24 yards in the fourth quarter. Cooper Ranvier added two field goals, including one from 39 yards. Tennessee led 10-6 at halftime and 13-6 after three quarters before the dam broke.

Kentucky never found the end zone. Kenny Minchey completed 26 of 34 passes for 224 yards but threw one interception and no touchdowns, and the Wildcats committed three turnovers against a Tennessee defense led by Arion Carter, who piled up 13 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks. Kentucky’s only points came on field goals of 43 and 25 yards.

Both teams leave at 7-2. Kentucky stands 5-2 in the SEC and Tennessee 4-2, and after Saturday night in Knoxville, it is the Volunteers who own the head to head result that could matter most in December.

Statement In Beaumont: No. 12 Lamar Knocks Off No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 45-28 In The FCS Game Of The Week

Published

19 minutes ago

November 8, 2026

Julie Isbell

Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown hands the ball off to running back Parker Jenkins against Stephen F. Austin at Provost Umphrey Stadium

Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown hands off to Parker Jenkins against Stephen F. Austin at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont. Photo by Julie Isbell.

This was the biggest game in the FCS this weekend, and it played like it. On Saturday at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont, No. 12 Lamar beat No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 45-28 in the STATS Perform FCS Game of the Week, a showdown between the top two teams in the Southland Conference. The Cardinals never trailed, answered every Lumberjacks comeback, and pulled into a tie for first place in the Southland with two weeks left in the regular season. Photographer Julie Isbell was on the sideline for We Speak Media.

The Fast Start

Lamar opened the game like a team that had been waiting for it. Andres Sandoval kicked a 27 yard field goal, Aiden McCown found Davin Driskell for a 7 yard touchdown late in the first quarter, and Parker Jenkins added a 3 yard touchdown run in the second quarter to build a 17-0 lead. Stephen F. Austin finally answered just before halftime, when Gavin Rutherford hit Clayton Wayland for a 22 yard touchdown with 25 seconds left in the half.

Every Answer

*Stephen F. Austin quarterback Gavin Rutherford throws against Lamar. Photo by Julie Isbell.*

The second half turned into a heavyweight exchange. Stephen F. Austin cut the Lamar lead to three points three separate times, and every time the Cardinals answered with a touchdown of their own. Jenkins capped an eight play, 75 yard drive with a 13 yard touchdown run, and McCown connected with Driskell again to push the lead back to ten. The loudest moment came late: JT Kitna found Bugs Mortimer for a 71 yard touchdown that pulled the Lumberjacks within 31-28. On the next Lamar possession, McCown hit Blake Thomas for a 62 yard touchdown strike with 4:45 remaining to make it 38-28.

The Close

The defense finished it. Alexandre Dedieu strip sacked the quarterback on Stephen F. Austin’s next play and Lamar recovered, setting up Jenkins’ third rushing touchdown of the night, a 4 yard run that sealed the 45-28 final.

By The Numbers

*The Stephen F. Austin offense huddles its ground game against Lamar. Photo by Julie Isbell.*

McCown completed 17 of 29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Jenkins carried 30 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns in a career night. Lamar rolled up 488 total yards, including 181 on the ground, scored on all five of its red zone trips, and held the ball for 12 minutes longer than the Lumberjacks. Stephen F. Austin turned the ball over four times, two fumbles and two interceptions, including picks by Bryce McDonald and Mar Mar Evans, and Lamar turned those mistakes into 17 points. For the Lumberjacks, Wayland caught nine passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Quarter by quarter: Lamar led 10-0 after the first, 17-7 at the half, and the teams traded 14 points each in the third before Lamar closed the fourth quarter 14-7.

What It Means

The loss is Stephen F. Austin’s first of the season, ending a 19 game regular season winning streak that was the longest active run across the FBS and FCS. The Lumberjacks fall to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Southland. Lamar improves to 8-2 and 6-1, and now owns the head to head tiebreaker in the race for the Southland’s automatic playoff bid. The Cardinals are home again on Saturday, November 14, hosting East Texas A&M, while Stephen F. Austin travels to UT Rio Grande Valley.