Tennessee pulled off a 30-24 upset over No. 21 Auburn on Saturday, and two of the players who were the most instrumental in getting that victory were honored by the SEC today.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and senior defensive end Kyle Phillips were both awarded SEC Player of the Week honors for their efforts on Saturday. Guarantano was named Co-Offensive Player of the Week along with Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, and Phillips was named the Defensive Lineman of the Week.
Guarantano posted career highs in nearly every passing category on Saturday. He had career-highs in passing yards (328), completions (21), and attempts (32) against Auburn. His two passing touchdowns tied a career-high as well. Guarantano connected with Ty Chandler on a 42-yard touchdown pass for the Vols’ first touchdown of the game, and then he found Jauan Jennings for a 25-yard yard score to give the Vols a 20-17 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
On defense, Phillips tallied a career-high nine tackles and made one of the biggest plays in the game. Phillips teamed up with Alexis Johnson to sack Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, and Phillips forced a fumble that ended up being recovered by Alontae Taylor for a touchdown. That fumble recovery touchdown gave the Vols a decisive 27-17 lead and was the deciding factor in the game.
