“First I just want to thank our fans. I don’t know how many actually showed up, but it was a bunch of oranges that decided to make the trip and I appreciate them. Disappointed for them, disappointed for us. “Team and everything we’ve put into them since last January that we didn’t train early in this game and play better.”

On not being able to keep up with the Buckeyes the entire game:

“There wasn’t a phase of the football game where we were performing the way we needed to at the beginning of the game and at the end of the second quarter we came back and made a few plays to tighten up the game and you know, I did Didn’t work well enough at the start of the third quarter either, and that’s a credit to them, but I just didn’t do what you need to do away from home against a really good football team, disappointed with all those records.”

“Ohio State played really well. Going into it, I thought their skills on both sides of the ball were as good as you’ll see. You know, defensively, you know, they led the country or were in the top five,” pretty much every category.– Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel

To get started quickly at Ohio State University:

“Yes, you know, defensively in the first series I had the chance to leave the pitch and end up getting a game penalty, something that will happen as the game progresses. You know, I had a few misses in coverage, And, you know, they made some plays too, and that’s going to happen against a good team, but what we didn’t do is come back and find a way to to come to the right side, and that is defensive, offensive it is everyone.

On UT’s inability to get its offense into a rhythm:

“We didn’t break up at times and it was a combination of a lot of different things. You know, at the start, in the first two series, we just fell behind the scenes and couldn’t get a third down. You know, and then you compare that to what happened on the other side of the ball. You know, the scoreboard spread out a little bit and they were able to put their ears back.

On the mood in the Vols locker room:

“A lot of disappointment in our dressing room for everyone who invested. There’s so much work that goes into it but we’re absolutely disappointed with the performance for our fans tonight. The amount of people who have traveled, but that happens every week. It’s 365 days a year, so absolutely disappointing for them.”

“Ohio State played really well. Going into it, I thought their skills on both sides of the ball were as good as you’ll see. You know, defensively, you know, they led the country or were in the top five,” pretty much every category.

You did a good job tonight, you know. We weren’t efficient in the running game early on and, you know, getting to the quarterback early, and when you combine those two things, you have problems on offense.