FBS college football / FINAL / Sat Sep 12, 2026 6:00 PM CT
No. 18 Tennessee beats Georgia Tech 45-24
Dejuan Lane's 41-yard interception return put Tennessee ahead for good in a 17-point second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
By BetMetrics
Final
Tennessee Volunteers45
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets24
WHERE IT TURNED
No. 18 Tennessee beat Georgia Tech 45-24 on Saturday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.
Faizon Brandon's 25-yard pass to Ethan Davis at 12:22 of the first quarter gave Tennessee a 7-0 lead, but Georgia Tech went ahead 10-7 on Aidan Birr's 30-yard field goal at 6:33 and Elgin Sessions' 3-yard return of a blocked punt at 5:49. That was the Yellow Jackets' only lead. Cooper Ranvier's 32-yard field goal at 14:01 of the second tied it, Dejuan Lane returned an interception 41 yards at 11:24, and Brandon hit Braylon Staley from 20 yards at 4:21 for a 24-10 halftime lead.
DeSean Bishop ran 17 yards for a touchdown at 11:41 of the third; Justice Haynes caught a 2-yard pass from Alberto Mendoza at 7:10 to make it 31-17. Bishop scored again from 29 yards at 4:25 of the fourth. Haynes' 2-yard run at 1:39 cut it to 38-24, and Daune Morris ran 47 yards for a touchdown at 1:30.
Tennessee rushed for 299 yards on 45 attempts; Bishop carried 20 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon was 10 of 21 for 148 yards and two scores, and Mariyon Dye had two sacks. The Volunteers were penalized 14 times for 142 yards but did not turn the ball over. Mendoza went 26 of 40 for 221 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Georgia Tech, which gained 356 yards. Attendance was 52,113.