The Vols will have their hands full on Saturday when they take on 4-0 Mississippi State in Starkville. The Bulldogs are in search of their second upset in the comfort of Davis Wade Stadium, having knocked off then-12th-ranked Arizona State in week two.
To avoid starting 0-2 in SEC play, these will be the Bulldogs that Tennessee must limit.
Wide receivers Anthony Evans III and Brenen Thompson
Evans and Thompson were both brought in via the transfer portal, and through four games, they have provided a lethal one-two punch on the outside for the Bulldogs. The Vols will have their hands full covering these two, as Mississippi State uses them in a variety of ways to get them the ball in their hands to do damage, be it underneath with screens and gadget plays, over the middle of the field or stretching the defense vertically.
Each man played a massive role in their upset of Arizona State, with both recording a touchdown and eclipsing 100 receiving yards. Evans is used primarily out of the slot and is more effective over the middle, while Thompson plays on the outside and is used a bit more as a vertical threat. Evans provides another wrinkle to deal with in special teams: He is averaging 14.3 yards per punt return.
Sixth-year quarterback Blake Shapen has much trust in them to win their rep, but he is experienced enough to see the defense overcommit to them, thus leaving another playmaker one-on-one. Because of how dangerous they are, the defense is forced into a decision: take them away to leave other threats one-on-one, or leave their defensive backs on an island and trust them to win a very difficult rep.
“I think our guys in the receiver room understand the challenge that’s at hand,” Bulldogs’ head coach Jeff Lebby said on Wednesday’s SEC teleconference call. “We’ve got to do a great job winning and then making the competitive plays. We feel really, really good about our depth inside that room, the guys that are going to run out there and give us the opportunity to do what we need to do in the throw game.”
These men are the leading receivers for the Bulldogs, with very little separating their stat lines. Thompson has one more touchdown and receiving yard, while Evans has just four more catches. The Vols face a tall task covering them, and it will take a complete defensive effort to limit the damage they do.
Defensive back Isaac Smith
Smith was the Bulldogs’ leading tackler last season, and he has established himself as their leading tackler early this season. He is used all over the field as he can play deep over the middle or he can sprint up the line of scrimmage to provide run support.
Smith has four career pass defenses and has both forced a fumble and recorded an interception. Against the Vols last season, he recorded a career high 20 tackles. Though his season-high through four games this year is eight, he remains a vital component of the defense. The Bulldogs like to rely on their secondary depth and use a plethora of defensive backs, yet Smith remains a constant presence on the back end of the defense because of his reliability as a tackler and versatile skillset.
His play garnered much attention last year, and he was named to the 2025 Chuck Bednarik watch list, the award for the best defensive player in college football. Joey Aguilar will need to be mindful of his location at all times because of the different ways he can make plays for the Bulldogs’ defense.
