JOE BIDDLE: Vols follow the Hurd to spoil Missouri final home game

This was Pinkel’s final home game as coach of the Tigers. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon spoke with Pinkel before he stepped into the locker room, then joined Missourinet for a quick moment to share his thoughts on Pinkel.

The players carried an emotional Pinkel off the field. “This week definitely brought this team closer together more than ever”, wide receiver J’Mon Moore told reporters after his 4-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter put the Tigers ahead for good. Russell Hansbrough ran for 41 yards on 12 carries. The defense pitched three shutout quarters and the offense made enough plays to provide enough air between them and the Tigers.

Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Saturday, November 21, 2015, in Columbia, Mo., the final home game for Pinkel as head coach of Missouri.

Medley posted a career high four field goals.

Missouri (5-6, 1-6 SEC) will end the Pinkel era at Arkansas on Friday.

The Vols improve to 7-4 with the win and will host Vanderbilt on Saturday at 4 p.m. Pinkel announced that he will resign at the end of the season for health reasons. Perhaps half the crowd had left before the fourth quarter. I’m a little disappointed, along with my players. “It was a bad play on my part”.

Hurd topped his previous career best of 125 yards against SC last season and was the first opponent to gain 100 yards against Missouri by halftime when he had 108 yards on 16 carries.

Four field goals from sophomore Aaron Medley (on five attempts) provided most of the scoring for Tennessee, but the Vols did get one touchdown on a tough 8-yard run from junior quarterback Joshua Dobbs very late in the second quarter.

The Vols allowed a mere 88 rushing yards and produced two turnovers and two sacks.