PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB Carlin Fils-aime made an emphatic return to the Tennessee backfield with three carries for 20 yards, 17 of them on a motion sweep scamper for a touchdown. The junior rushed for 273 yards and four touchdowns in his first two seasons on Rocky Top before Pruitt switched him to cornerback this spring. Fils-aime had a pair of tackles on the year.
–TE Eli Wolf hauled in the first touchdown of his career last week against South Carolina. The scoring grab came on the junior’s seventh career catch.
–DE Kyle Phillips continues to be a thorn in this side of opposing offensive linemen. The senior added another 1.5 tackles for loss to his resume along with half a sack and a quarterback hurry. Phillips has been on a hot pace of late, notching 24 of his 33 tackles this season in the last four games.
–SS Nigel Warrior is quietly putting together a big year out of the Tennessee secondary. The junior’s nine tackles against South Carolina were a season-high and give him 17 in two weeks against the Gamecocks and Alabama. The recent surge leaves Warrior (42 tackles) two tackles behind teammate Daniel Bituli for the team lead.
SERIES HISTORY: Tennessee squares off against a Conference USA opponent for the second time this season, having downed Texas-El Paso in Week 3. The Vols are 24-2 all-time against the conference but have yet to face Charlotte. Tennessee has won 29 consecutive contests at Neyland Stadium against non-Power 5 programs, the last such home loss coming in 2008 versus Wyoming.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I think based off of the way the game was going, I would have done everything the exact same way.” — Head coach Jeremy Pruitt, on the Vols loss to South Carolina in which the Vols led 24-16 late in the third quarter
