Josh Heupel explains what changed for Tennessee in overtime at Mississippi State

Josh Heupel explained it as nothing more than a change in personnel. Tennessee had two tight ends on the field, both lined up in the backfield, when the Vols finally sprung a long run, just when they needed it the most.

It was DeSean Bishop on a counter to the left side on the first play of overtime Saturday against Mississippi State at Davis Wade Stadium.

After the Bulldogs spent the afternoon leaning on the Vols with their run game, Bishop broke free for a 25-yard touchdown run to start the overtime period. 

It would be enough for the 41-34 win, too, after Tennessee’s defense got four straight stops at the 4-yard line on the ensuing Mississippi State possession. 

Up Next: Tennessee vs. Arkansas, October 11

“We got some movement on the counter play,” Heupel said after the game. “We’re able to get up to the second level. Bish kind of steps through one (defender) a little bit, too. And got into a personnel grouping that we hadn’t used much during the course of the ball game.

“With (tight end) Ethan (Davis) being out, just hadn’t gotten into our 12 (personnel) stuff and kind of switched it up and went 12 and blocked it and he ran through it.”

Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) finished with 131 rushing yards on 32 attempts, with 93 yards on 19 runs in the second half and overtime . Quarterback Joey Aguilar scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to tie the game with 1:55 left in regulation and passed for 335 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. 

Mississippi State (4-1, 0-1) ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns on 57 attempts, but had just 76 yards on 27 attempts — 2.7 yards per carry — in the second half. 

State gained 21 yards on a pas from Blake Shapen to Anthony Evans III on second down in overtime, but the Vols held for one yard, no gain and two incompletions on the four plays that followed. 

“The line of scrimmage, they controlled (it on defense),” Heupel said. “They made it uncomfortable for the quarterback on a couple of the passes. Matched guys out … just relentless and played with great communication, alignment, assignment and made plays. It was a great effort by our defense — I should have said that at the beginning — the entire night.”

‘(We) had to face some adverse situations, too, and continued to respond’

Tennessee’s defense accounted for 14 of the 41 points, with a Colton Hood interception returned for a touchdown — his second defensive touchdown in his first five games with the Vols — and a 62-yard fumble returned for a touchdown by Joshua Josephs, after a Tyre West strip sack of Shapen. 

Mississippi State scored 21 points off three Tennessee turnovers, with a fumble and two interceptions helping State score on drives that covered 17, 20 and 26 yards. 

“There’s a couple things that (Mississippi State) busted,” Heupel said, “run fits early, some of the outside zone, and we let one down the middle of the football field for a big play for them. 

“But there was a lot of things that they did at a really high level and (we) had to face some adverse situations, too, and continued to respond. Really proud of those guys.”