PAINFUL HEARTBREAK: Tennessee volunteer’ hopes of winning three straight Super Bowls are likely to be dashed with the loss of Joe Milton III due ….

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Tennessee football’s dominance over Missouri ended in a lackluster 36-7 loss on Saturday, as the Vols’ slim hopes of an SEC East title shot were dashed.

It was the largest losing margin of coach Josh Heupel’s three seasons at UT. The previous largest was a 52-24 loss to Alabama in 2021. UT also scored the fewest points in a game of Heupel’s tenure.

The No. 13 Vols (7-3, 3-3 SEC) were dreadful on defense, shaky on offense and drastically outplayed by No. 14 Missouri (8-2, 4-2) in an SEC East battle.

UT looked nothing like the team that beat Missouri 62-24 in 2021 and 66-24 in 2022. But the Tigers played like they remembered both routs and had something to prove

Missouri gained 531 yards of total offense, the most allowed by UT this season.

SEC rushing leader Cody Schrader ran for 205 yards on 35 carries against the Vols, who entered the game allowing a league-low 97 yards rushing per game. And Missouri quarterback Brady Cook carved up UT with his arm and legs.

.