Tennessee will run into a familiar leg on Saturday in Arkansas kicker Max Gilbert, the former Vol who moved on to Fayetteville this offseason.
Gilbert has opened his Razorbacks tenure in strong shape from inside 50 yards. Through four games, he has gone 7-for-7 on field goal tries in that range and is also 10-for-10 on extra points.
His two attempts from 50 yards and beyond, though, have both missed. Even with those long-range struggles, he is sitting at 77.8% on field goals, a career-best mark.
That start looks better than the way his final stretch at Tennessee played out. Gilbert was steady enough in 2024, finishing 20-of-26 on field goals for the Vols after working through a midseason slump and closing the year well. But the 2025 season brought a rougher run for Tennessee’s kicking game and for Gilbert specifically.
The Memphis native still finished with respectable overall numbers, connecting on 14 of 19 field goal attempts. The problem was the timing.
He came up short on several kicks that carried major weight, including the potential game-winner in Tennessee’s narrow September loss to Georgia. He also missed a 37-yard try in the Vols’ 33-27 loss to Oklahoma, a game in which Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell was perfect on all four of his field goal attempts, with three coming from beyond 50 yards.
Gilbert also missed a 39-yard field goal in Tennessee’s 30-28 loss against Illinois in the Music City Bowl.
For the season, Gilbert finished his redshirt sophomore year 8-for-10 on kicks under 40 yards, 4-for-6 from 40 to 50 yards and 2-for-3 from over 50 yards.
Tennessee responded by turning to the transfer portal for a new kicker, landing Louisville transfer Cooper Ranvier. So far, that move has worked out cleanly. Ranvier has been perfect for the Vols, going 5-for-5 on field goals and 22-for-22 on extra points, with a long of 43.
In Other News...
Mike Matthews Sends Tennessee A Clear Message Before Arkansas
Tennessees 24-14 win over Auburn gave the Volunteers their first SEC victory of the 2026 season and pushed them to 4-1 overall, a solid checkpoint for a team still carrying some bigger goals. Ranked 15th nationally, the Vols come out of that result with a little more traction and a clearer sense of where they stand, but also with the reminder that one good Saturday does not settle much in this league.
Mike Matthews used his media time to underline the same message the staff has been preaching: consistency matters, and the margin for error in the SEC is thin. With Arkansas next on the schedule, Tennessee knows its season is still firmly in its own hands, but the challenge now is turning one encouraging performance into the kind of steady stretch that keeps the Volunteers moving up rather than just holding serve. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Quarterback Battle Just Got Tougher For Josh Heupel
The quarterback conversation around Tennessee got a little more complicated after the Auburn game, and it is easy to see why Josh Heupel is still weighing his options. Both quarterbacks saw action, and former Vols quarterback Jarrett Guarantano added a reminder of just how unforgiving the job can be in the SEC, where every rep gets magnified and every mistake can stick around.
Heupel has acknowledged the competition between Faizon Brandon, who has been dealing with an injury, and George MacIntyre, who made the most of his limited chances. For Tennessee, the issue is not just who looks best in a short stretch, but who can handle the week-to-week demands of the position if and when the staff finally settles on a starter. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Telander Just Framed Tennessees Defensive Mindset For Arkansas Week
Jeremiah Telander spent Arkansas week talking about what Tennessee has started to build under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and his comments offered a useful window into the Vols early defensive identity. The linebacker emphasized the mentality behind the groups success so far, while also giving credit to the coaches and teammates around him. He pointed to the way the room has developed and the standard that has been set as Tennessee prepares for another SEC test.
The trip to Arkansas brings its own complications, and Telander made it clear he understands the significance of the matchup. He also singled out Coach Inges leadership as part of what has helped shape the defenses approach, noting the groups commitment to playing hard for him. For Tennessee, it is the kind of week that can reveal whether early progress is translating into something sturdier when the road gets louder and the opponent gets more familiar. [Read more 🡒]