HENDON HOOKER

NC State's four-game winning streak to start the 2022 season has them back in top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25 poll on Sunday. Tennessee is also highly ranked.

Despite an upper-body injury and the absence of his favorite target, Hendon Hooker was at his best Saturday night.

11 Tennessee made its fans sweat a little bit before finally closing out No. WR Bru McCoy had the breakout game that Tennessee fans (and Texas fans and USC fans) were hoping for with five catches for 102 yards and a TD. Until Saturday, the only win Tennessee had gotten over Florida since 2004 was a 38-28 win over the Gators in 2016. After losing to Kentucky in Week 2, Florida is 0-2 in the SEC while Tennessee is now 1-0. After an off week in Week 5, Tennessee heads to LSU before its annual rivalry game in Knoxville against Alabama on Oct. 15.

It's Week 4 in college football, which means conference play begins for most teams throughout the country. After being sidelined due to a blood clot, Sam Hartman is back at quarterback for the Demon Deacons, who are off to a 3-0 start just like Clemson. Tennessee is off to a 3-0 start in its second season under Josh Heupel. Washington State is off to a 3-0 start, including a road upset over Wisconsin. Through three games, the hype about USC has been justified as Caleb Williams has been tearing up defenses during the Trojans’ 3-0 start.

Week 4 of the college football season has three games between top 25 ranked teams, highlighted by No. 11 Tennessee vs No. 20 Florida at 3:30 p.m. ET.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (AP) — The plan wasn’t for Georgia Tech to lose top running back Jahmyr Gibbs as a transfer to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference. On the SEC side, Georgia defensive back Derion Kendrick was a second-team selection after transferring from Clemson. That was a factor for quarterback Hendon Hooker as he left Virginia Tech after the 2020 season marred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fourth-year Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins has an up-close view of the interleague movement from Atlanta in territory both leagues claim as their own. I don’t think that’s too uncommon.”It also goes back to those years-ago recruiting battles for North Carolina coach Mack Brown.

The Atlantic Coast and Southeastern Conferences are welcoming plenty of transfers bouncing between throughout their Southern-footprint leagues.

The Vols also snapped a four-game bowl victory streak with a loss that dropped the Southeastern Conference to 1-5 this bowl season. After Purdue ran three plays, Fineran sealed the victory with his fourth field goal of the game, sending the Boilermakers running down the field in celebration. The Vols had a final chance to win in regulation, but Chase McGrath’s 56 yard field goal fell well short. Tennessee finished with 639 yards total offense and Purdue had 623 in regulation — both bowl records before overtime. THE TAKEAWAYSTennessee: The Vols set a single-season record with 487 points through the first quarter of this game.

Mitchell Fineran kicked a 39-yard field goal in overtime and Purdue finished off its best season since 2003 by overcoming a 14-point deficit and beating Tennessee 48-45 on Thursday in a record-setting Music City Bowl.

Georgia Tennessee Football Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown with tight end Brock Bowers (19) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) (Wade Payne)KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — (AP) — Stetson Bennett ran for a touchdown and threw for another as top-ranked Georgia remained perfect, wrapping up its Southeastern Conference schedule by routing Tennessee 41-17 Saturday. 1 CFP) actually trailed by their largest margin this season after Tennessee scored a touchdown on the opening drive. Joe Milton hit Cedric Tillman on a 12-yard TD, giving Tennessee the most points scored against Georgia in a game this season. Georgia and the stingiest scoring defense, which had allowed 6.6 points a game, simply smothered the Vols. Georgia then finishes the regular season against Georgia Tech.

Top-ranked Georgia and No. 3 Alabama appear headed for a showdown in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

4 Alabama to a 52-24 victory Saturday night over traditional rival Tennessee. Brian Robinson ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Crimson Tide (7-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) score 21 points in the first six-plus minutes of the final quarter. Young, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, completed 31 of 43 passes and turned five of his frequent scrambles into first downs or touchdowns. Then Alabama struck again, with Young launching a 65-yard bomb to Jameson Williams. Alabama: Got off to a sloppy start with a roughing the kicker penalty setting up a Vols touchdown and a fumble inside the Tennessee 10.

Bryce Young passed for 371 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores, carrying No. 4 Alabama to a 52-24 victory over traditional rival Tennessee.

Georgia and Alabama could be heading for another showdown in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Mississippi Tennessee Football Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor (2) tries to tackle Mississippi wide receiver Dontario Drummond during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) (Wade Payne)KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — (AP) — No. 13 Mississippi held off Tennessee 31-26 on Saturday night after Rebels coach Lane Kiffin was hit by a golf ball as Volunteers fans pelted the field with objects in the chaotic final minutes. Ole Miss stopped Tennessee a yard shy of a first down on a fourth-and-24 pass with just over a minute left. After that play, and the review that confirmed the spot of the ball, Tennessee fans pelted the field with objects. Milton ran 13 yards on the final play and was pushed out of bounds at the 8 as time expired.

The rich got even richer in the Southeastern Conference when the transfer floodgates opened wide.

Miami quarterback D'Eriq King passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool)

D’Eriq King threw for 255 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score, rallying the Hurricanes to a 25-24 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday. Miami announced it had 13 players unavailable before the game, including three starters and several offensive linemen. Hendon Hooker paced Virginia Tech, throwing for 201 yards and rushing for 53 yards and a touchdown. “I hurt for them,” Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said of his players. Virginia Tech: The Hokies travel to Pittsburgh — if the Panthers are ready to play.

Liberty's CJ Yarbrough catches a touchdown pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Virginia Tech, Saturday, Nov. 7 2020, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool)

25 Liberty to a 38-35 victory over Virginia Tech. But officials ruled that Virginia Tech had called a timeout before the kick. “I’ve always done this,” Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said. Hendon Hooker paced Virginia Tech, throwing for 217 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 156 yards and a touchdown. Virginia Tech: The Hokies play Miami at home on Saturday.

North Carolina running back Javonte Williams (25) scores a touchdown against Virginia Tech during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

19 Virginia Tech. 19 Virginia Tech 56-45 on Saturday. Khalil Herbert ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns for Virginia Tech (2-1, 2-1), which again played shorthanded due to coronavirus and injury issues. “North Carolina’s explosive on offense,” Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said. Things got closer, but the Tar Heels rolled with an offense that looked equally as prolific whether throwing or running.