Colin Simmons turned a huge defensive moment into a costly headache Saturday with one of the strangest penalty flags you’ll see.
The Texas edge rusher came up with a sack of Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon on third down with the ball deep in Vols territory, a play that should have forced a fourth-down situation and put Texas in prime position. Instead, Simmons followed the stop with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that drew immediate attention for all the wrong reasons.
The flag was for “simulating using the restroom,” a bizarre call that gave Tennessee a fresh set of downs and erased the momentum Texas had built. The Vols picked up a few more first downs after the penalty, but the Longhorns defense held firm and forced a turnover on downs when Tennessee went for it on 4th and 7 from the Texas 35, just outside kicker Cooper Ranvier’s range with the wind in his face.
Even though Tennessee didn’t score on the drive, Simmons still cost Texas a chance to add to its lead before halftime. The Longhorns went into the break up 10-3.
Social media wasted no time lighting up Simmons over the sequence. Reactions poured in, with fans and commentators calling the penalty bizarre, costly, and flat-out baffling.
“What is Colin Simmons doing bro 😭” one post read.
“Colin Simmons really arguing that this wasn’t unsportsmanlike conduct 😭😭😭” another said.
“Colin Simmons penalized "for simulating using the restroom"
That's a first” wrote Alex Scarborough.
Other reactions were even harsher. “Brain-dead celebration decision from Colin Simmons.
How anyone pre-meditates that & thinks it’s okay in this setting is beyond me,” Landon Holifield posted.
Another reaction simply called him “What an absolute idiot Colin Simmons is hahahaha”
And one more post asked, “Did Will Muschamp give Colin Simmons the look after that inexplicable penalty?
If not, he should have.”
In Other News...
Tennessee Texas Finish Just Got An Official Officiating Twist
The Southeastern Conference added an officiating wrinkle to Tennessees loss to Texas, saying the Volunteers drop-kick onside attempt was handled incorrectly. The league said the kick should have drawn a five-yard penalty and a replay of the down because it was taken from behind the required 35-yard line, a violation of free-kick rules.
Even so, the correction does not change the result of Texas 20-17 win over Tennessee. For the Volunteers, it leaves one more frustrating detail attached to a game already decided by a narrow margin, even if the official ruling stops short of altering the final scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Secondary Just Took Another Brutal Hit Before Auburn
Tennessees secondary is dealing with another setback heading into Auburn, with sophomore defensive back Dylan Lewis expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season because of a foot injury he suffered against Kennesaw State. Lewis had already been listed as out in SEC availability reports before the Texas game, and he was later seen in a walking boot, a clear sign the injury was serious enough to keep him sidelined for an extended stretch.
For a defense already managing other season-ending injuries in the back end, losing Lewis only tightens the margin for error. The Vols have had to keep adjusting their depth and rotations in the secondary, and now they head into the Auburn matchup with another important piece unavailable, leaving the coaching staff to sort out how to patch together a group that has been hit hard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Are Stuck On One Faizon Brandon Debate
Tennessees loss to Texas left plenty of fingerprints on the offense, but the loudest postgame debate has centered on Faizon Brandon and how much of the struggle was really on the quarterback. Brandon finished 17 of 29 for 145 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, yet the bigger number was the sacks, with Tennessees protection breaking down often enough to make the whole night feel hurried and uneven.
Film analyst Brooks Austin pushed back on the idea that Brandon alone was responsible, pointing to a shaky run game and the lines problems up front as part of the picture. Josh Heupel sounded similarly measured, saying Brandon may have been sped up and stressing that the answer has to come from more than one player. For Tennessee, the uncomfortable part is that the debate is still open, and the film may only deepen it. [Read more 🡒]