Jalen Hurd rushed for a career-best 151 yards on 34 carries and Tennessee dominated on defense, spoiling Gary Pinkel’s Missouri home finale with a 19-8 victory on Saturday night.
Joshua Dobbs had the only touchdown on an 8-yard run with 17 seconds to go in the first half and Aaron Medley had a career-best four field goals in a game begun in 28-degree chill. The Volunteers (7-4, 4-3 SEC) have won four in a row, three of them handily, and beat Missouri for the first time in four tries.
Tennessee held opponents scoreless for eight consecutive quarters before Drew Lock scored on a 1-yard keeper on fourth-and-goal with 9:49 to go and hit Jason Reese for a two-point conversion. The Volunteers had Missouri pinned down much of the game, with the Tigers beginning five possessions at their own 11 or worse.
Missouri (5-6, 1-6) needs a victory in the finale at Arkansas to avoid just the second losing record in the last 11 under Pinkel, who holds the school career record with 118 victories in 15 seasons. The 63-year-old Pinkel is resigning at the end of the season after revealing he has lymphoma.
Senior linemen Evan Boehm and Connor McGovern carried Pinkel off the field.