The Tennessee Volunteers faced Mississippi State in Week 11 of the College Football season, and they led the entire time. However, despite leaving the game with a likely win, there was some potentially scary news for the remainder of their season in the form of an injury.
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava left the game early with an upper-body injury and it was announced he would not return. The exact severity of the injury is unknown, but the fact he left the game early on and was ruled out entirely is not a good sign. The injury came specifically when he took a big hit from Mississippi State safety Isaac Smith late in the first half.
With Iamaleava out, it was backup Gaston Moore who took over quarterback duties for the Volunteers. While it won't look to impact the Volunteers on Saturday night, it could impact their playoff hopes if Iamaleava is to miss any extended period of time.
Will Tennessee make the College Football Playoff?
Coming into the season, the Volunteers had very high hopes and, as of now, everything is still in front of them. Ranked No. 7 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, Tennessee would be squarely in the playoffs and could even host a game. However, with a 4-1 conference record and 7-1 overall record, there's a chance they make it to the SEC Championship Game, win it, and even get a bye.
Additionally, considering that the Volunteers have just one loss, they could afford to lose another and still potentially make it. Simply, they have a margin for error, but they also control their own destiny. Everything is in front of them to take it.
What makes Tennessee so great? Everything. In terms of total offense and total defense, the Volunteers are top-10 in both. Averaging 474 yards per game, the Tennessee offense is No. 9 in total offense. However, their defense ranks No. 4 in total defense, allowing just 271.6 yards per game.
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